Light & Shadow Oneshots
by ForeverDreamer12
Summary: Stingue oneshots because they need more love and I'm addicted to writing them! Ratings will vary. Both AU and Canon verses. Requests are welcomed! (Current oneshot: The Trouble with Boys, Canonish Verse.)
1. AU: Geometry Class

_**Cover image is owned by kkumri on tumblr.**_

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 **I decided I might as well start a oneshot collection for these dorks ^.^ Because let's be honest, they don't get enough love~**

 **I'm mostly going to follow Imagine Your OTP prompts, but I may just write from my own head sometimes. I hope you enjoy, Stingue fans! And please, every review is appreciated!**

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 **Verse: High School AU (Sophomore Year)**  
 **Rating: T**  
 **Prompt: I take my grades very seriously and you're the lazy asshole who asks a ton of off-topic questions to distract the professor and I might be a foot shorter than you but I swear to god I'll fight you.**

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Rogue chews on the end of his pencil, thinking intently about the equation on the board. He currently sits in Geometry, and his professor is currently giving them a pop quiz on the board. Rogue's paper already has calculations all over it, the first two problems having been a breeze. He neatly prints the next step of the problem on his paper, hoping that he's doing it right.

"Professor, sir?" a familiar voice calls from behind Rogue. The dark-haired boy holds back a groan.

"Yes, Eucliffe," the professor sighs. "What is it?"

"I was just wondering, when are we going to use this in real life?"

A few people in the class snicker. Rogue feels like banging his head on his desk. He absolutely despised the blond boy who sat behind him. He was everything Rogue hated: a cocky, lazy asshole who thought he was perfect. Every time he was expected to do pretty much anything, he would ask stupid questions one after another to distract the professor. Unfortunately, the professor continued calling on him, as he had a philosophy that "questions are the best way to learn."

"Well," the professor responds calmly, "this would be extreme help if you became an architect, engineer, or a construction worker."

A creaking sound comes from behind Rogue, causing him to turn around. Sting's leaning back in his chair, his hands behind his head. A ridiculously smug grin is glued to his face as he replies with ease, "But what if you think all those jobs are fuckin' stupid?" Several people burst out laughing at this, bending over their desks and snorting hysterically.

Rogue's eyebrow twitches, and he decides to try and ignore him. He turns back around, bending over his paper again. _'Okay, so, you need to use the Pythagorean Theorem... So B equals 7...'_

"Well, Eucliffe, not everyone in this class thinks the same as you do." The professor's smile is very forced as he picks up the dry-erase marker once more. "Problem number 4."

"That's debatable."

At that, Rogue snaps. He whirls around in his seat, standing up as he does so. Looking the smug asshole straight in the eye, he stands up tall and fires back with, "Look, unlike your self-centered ass I actually give a shit about my education, so I'd appreciate it if you'd shut the fuck up and so I can pass this class without your stupid comments every goddamn second!"

The entire class falls silent, not expecting the shy, nerdy kid to stand up for himself in such a way. His confident, slightly mouthy tone took everyone by surprise, including the ever-witty Sting Eucliffe.

He closes his mouth, which had dropped open once Rogue had stood up, and quickly responds with, "Sorry, cutie, I didn't realize you actually cared so much." His tone is mostly condensending, yet to Rogue's shock, there is a slight bit of sincerity. "You never say a word normally."

"You don't have to always talk to make it far in life," Rogue retorts. "That's probably something you should try to cram into that thick skull of yours. I'm sure there's plenty of room, considering you never use much of your brain to begin with." Half the class makes remarks like "buuuurned" or "shots fired" or "damn, he gotcha".

The professor clears his throat, looking slightly overwhelmed, "Boys, please-"

Sting's chair falls back onto its four legs with a bang. "You're a feisty one, aren't ya?" he smirks, standing up to face Rogue. "You know, if you were really smart, you wouldn't have started somethin' with me that you're obviously going to lose."

Rogue seems to take Sting's words as a challenge. "Oh really?" he says confidently, leaning towards Sting. "What exactly is 'losing' in a situation like this? No matter the outcome, I've still had my voice heard. Not everything in life is about victory, dumbass."

As the class went into an uproar again, Sting's smirk only grew wider. "You're pretty clever, kid, I'll give you that." He tears off a corner of his blank quiz paper, scribbles something on it with his slightly-broken mechanical pencil, and passes it to Rogue. The professor somehow manages to quiet the class down, and Sting promptly sits down. He acts completely unfazed, as if he didn't just get challenged by the shyest kid in the class.

Rogue takes his seat as well, quickly finishing problem problem #3. Frowning deeply, he finally looks at the note Sting left on his desk. 'If you're so keen on getting good grades and hate interruptions, why'd you waste class time yelling at me? Text me ya bastard, I still have a few things to say to your cute little face. ;)' Right below the message was a phone number.

Rogue feels his face burn as he shoves the note into his jacket pocket. He glances at #4, but finds that his mind is completely preoccupied by the hot asshole who sits behind him. Even now, Sting Eucliffe was distracting him from his work.

Figures.


	2. Canon: One Autumn Day

**THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR LOVELY REVIEWS~! I _definitely_ was not expecting FIVE (I was expecting like 2 to be honest). Thank you so much~! ^.^ If I haven't answered them yet, I will shortly after posting this~!**

 **I honestly have no idea what this is X'D I wrote it while I was sick in an attempt to write more poetically...it was originally going to be part of a longer story, but after writing it I couldn't copy the poetic style so here it is. XD**

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 **Verse: Canon**  
 **Rating: K**  
 **Prompt: N/A (From my own head~)**

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It is a lazy Thursday afternoon when things once again begin to change. Autumn has fallen, decorating the quaint cobbled streets of Sabertooth's hometown with fallen leaves. The smell of spices and pumpkins fill the crisp air, reaching out within the tendrils of wind.

It is afternoons like these when work is simply not desirable (not that work is ever something to be desired). The brisk weather has a lulling effect on the residents, a soft lullaby sung by the breeze.

And so, after hours on end of constant paperwork, sorting, more paperwork, and cleaning, Sting threw down his writing utensil and announces loudly that he is going home. His guildmates didn't argue, simply nodding wearily from behind their hot drinks. Without any discussion, Rogue joins Sting in the walk home. The two of them have never needed to confirm things like this with words; they spoke with just their eyes. These simple little silent exchanges were missed by everyone else, but to each other, they were as clear as day.

They arrive home quickly, kicking off their shoes and collapsing onto the couch together. Rogue reaches for his book sitting on the small table, drawing his knees up to get comfortable.

"So I've been thinking," Sting begins, moving his hands behind his head as he leans back against the couch.

Rogue snorts from beside him, his bangs fluttering from the release of breath. His arms are resting on his thighs, his hands right above his raised knees. He slowly turns a single page in his book, finally commenting on his friend's statement. "That's unusual."

"Oh, shut up, you," Sting chides, unable to hide the amused smile stretching across his face. He turns his head to look at Rogue, his blue eyes bright. "Hey." His tone is suddenly serious. He moves his arms back down, his hands falling with a thump onto the cushioned seat.

Rogue frowns, closing his book. He lifts his head up to look at his partner. "What?"

"You're special to me, you know that?" Sting's voice is soft, speaking with completely sincerity. Each word is spoken with strength, enforcing the phrase into one of fact.

Rogue blinks, his face flushing slightly. His eyes are focused on his own lap now, not daring to look up. "Yeah," he replies, barely audible. After a long moment, he slowly flicks his gaze back towards Sting. His red eyes are inquisitive as he studies his partner's resolute expression. "Why are you bringing this up now?"

He was expecting a rise and fall in Sting's shoulders, followed by a dismissal of the question as the conversation takes another path. But Sting's shockingly blue eyes send a ripple of emotion through Rogue's chest, his unwavering gaze flooding his skin with pink. An electric pulse flows up Rogue's arm as Sting's fingers enclose his hand in a protective embrace. "Because I think you need to be reminded that sometimes."

Rogue blinks, confusion flooding through him like the oncoming tide. Where was all this coming from?Rogue's voice struggles to escape the confinement of his vocal cords. "St-Sting?" His red eyes find difficulty in focusing on Sting's features, instead flicking to the side to simply watch Sting out of his peripheral vision.

"Hey," Sting's voice is soft and light, like a warm summer breeze. "There's no need to look away." His fingers, still gently cradling Rogue's hand, move in a soothing gesture over Rogue's knuckles.

Slowly Rogue's eyes slide back to Sting's face. His breath is stolen from his lungs, the air releasing from between parted pink lips in a quiet gasp. Liquid gold poured through the glass of the window, painting Sting's gentle features with light. His deep blue eyes shimmer like a lake's glassy surface, crystalline, smooth, beautiful. His lips turn up in the corners, spreading the softness of a smile through his cheeks to his shining eyes.

All words died in Rogue's throat. Every sliver of doubt leaves his chest, flying away into the sun. His heart ached in such a way that it felt good. A warmth unlike any other spreads through his blood, painting his skin with rose.

"I just was thinking, that maybe...well..." Sting's words are gentle, a slight hesitation creeping its way into his tone. The security of his past statements seems to waver a bit, on edge as his voice tries to regain its balance.

Sting changes his words' course mid-moment, the story he'd been wanting to write erasing itself as he lets new words fall from his lips, like water sliding into a pool. "You and I...there's something there that we've been denying..." Sting laughs slightly, the sound light and trembling with nerves. "I could be wrong about what you think, but I feel something for you that I...don't feel for anyone else..." His breathing is unsteady, a juxtaposition with his quickening heartbeat. "I know this seems like it's coming out of nowhere but I-"

His words leave him as his gaze weaves into Rogue's, shining blue to soft red. His memory fails him, forgetting to breathe until Rogue slowly blinks, his gentle red eyes glazing over with tears, smooth like glass. "I know," Rogue's words are barely even a whisper of breath leaving his lips. Crystals forming in the corner of his eyes, his voice becomes his own echo, but with an air of confidence he before had neglected to include. "I know."

A single breath escapes Sting's lungs, as if he were laughing. His hands tighten around Rogue's in an affectionate squeeze. The pressure then releases, a single trembling hand moving to Rogue's cheek. His thumb draws the sharp outline of Rogue's jaw in a simple, gentle caress, like a touch of sunlight on the ocean.

The next three words fall out in a whisper, all at once, stumbling over each other until they form a simple phrase with as much meaning and emotion as a song, "I love you."

Rogue's breath releases, a single tear painting a silver path on his pale pink cheeks. Not even the slightest bit of hesitation remains as his lips sing the same melody, just with an entirely new voice. "I love you too."

The sun blurs behind the crystal clarity of tears as Rogue's eyelids blanket his vision, letting himself feel instead of see. The warmth that captures his lips feels like the sunrise, painting his heart with the vibrancy of color. It was a kiss of renewal, rain after a fire, sun after a storm, dawn after the blackest of nights. As gentle hands find his cheeks, cupping his face with tender adoration, Rogue can feel his faded, sketchy lines darkening and coming into focus with perfect clarity. He lets his feelings sing their own song as he lets himself go, melting into everything that was Sting and his purifying light. He would heal him, take away the shadows under his eyes, the worried creases in his skin, the tension in his weary bones.

Holding on, letting go. Opposite, and yet the same. Because Rogue wanted nothing more than to hold onto Sting and his warmth forever, just letting himself go where love took them, no matter how far it may be.

Shadows, darkness. Light, clarity. One cannot exist without the other. And as their lips parted, breathing in the air of life between them, they were no longer two, but one. One mind, one soul, one heart.

And that is as clear as the golden sunlight streaking the sky.


	3. AU: Double Trouble

**_Written for my fellow Achievement Hunter & Stingue fan, thedarkgodmogar. Love you~ Happy birthday!_**

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 **Verse: Domestic AU**

 **Rating: K+**

 **Summary: Rogue says he doesn't want a cat...Sting takes it** **very literally. (Imagine your OTP prompt at bottom)**

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Sting Eucliffe has always been the kind of guy to never take no for an answer. His stubborness could be both annoying and endearing; it depended on who you asked. Currently...it was a little bit of bot.

Sting drags his boyfriend of two years, Rogue Cheney, along the sidewalk, ignoring the dark haired man's protests. "Sting, we **don't have time for this.** "

Sting laughs cheerfully, his grip on Rogue's wrist not loosening in the slightest. His light blue scarf blows behind him like a flag signaling his journey through the streets. His breath escapes his lips in wisp of white, the cold creating a cloud in front of him. "C'mon, Rogue, just a quick stop by the shoe store, I need new boots!"

"You and shopping," Rogue grumbles moodily, using his free hand to adjust his own dark gray scarf.

"You and being grumpy," Sting teases, gently elbowing Rogue in the side. "Cheer up! It's _snowing_!"

"Yes, and they're playing Christmas music in goddamn November," Rogue snaps. A puff of white mist appears in the air in front of him as he sighs in annoyance.

Sting leans over and gently kisses Rogue's cheek. "Relax! It's all just stupid commercialism. At least everything will be on sale and I won't spend half my paycheck overnight!"

Rogue shoulders relax. A small smile spreads across his face, caused by his partner's adorable shopaholic tendencies. "I can never stay mad at you for long, you dork."

Sting grins, looping his arm through Rogue's without skipping a beat. "Love you too~"

They walk for a few more minutes, the puffy sleeves of their jackets creating a swishing sound as they brush together. Sting's beaming is contagious, as if someone is grabbing the corners of Rogue's mouth and turning his lips upwards into a smile. They pass by many people with red and green shopping bags, winding down the cobbled streets.

The duo has always loved the quaint shopping district here downtown; in fact, they'd first met when Sting slipped in a puddle after a dreary rainy day in April. He'd been going to the café for a cup of hot tea to warm up, running down the streets in the hopes he'd make it there before it started raining again. He landed in a puddle, slipped, and promptly fell right into a stranger's arms who went by the name of Rogue Cheney. After lots of laughter and apologies, Sting had extended a hand and invited Rogue to join him at the café.

They'd been together ever since.

Sting suddenly screeches to a halt, causing Rogue to bump right into him. He opens his mouth to scold his sporadic boyfriend for stopping so abruptly in a crowded public place when he realizes Sting is staring straight at a very furry red cat.

"No." Rogue shuts Sting down before he can even ask. Rogue knows that logically, they could not take care of cat. Two 21 year-olds in their third year of college with a job that works you around five hours a day _totally_ have time to be cleaning out litter boxes, brushing cat fur, and picking up hairballs. Oh, and they _obviously_ had about $3,000 to spare on vaccinations, food, and toys.

Sting turns around to face Rogue, lip jutted out in an exaggerated pout. "Awwww, but look at him, Rogue!" The cat in the window fluffs his tail and stretches. He steps closer to the glass, gazing at the young couple with wide, hopeful eyes. "Look at the precious baby!" Sting grins childishly, pressing his nose against the glass. "He wants to come home with us!"

Rogue grabs Sting by the scarf, pulling his face off the glass. "First of all, get your face off the window, you'll fog up the glass. Second of all, we are _not_ buying a cat." Rogue lets of Sting's scarf and folds his arms across his chest. "Look how big he is. He'll just be a hassle. Do you even know how to take care of a cat?"

"Well, they say with experience comes wisdom," Sting replies smugly. He tugs on Rogue's puffy sleeve, blue eyes wide with excitement. "Pleeeeease?" His eyes widen slightly, perfectly mirroring the cat's expression.

Rogue mentally curses Sting's ability to make all of Rogue's self-control melt. It's extremely hard to resist Sting's puppy dog eyes, especially when paired with an adorable pout and rosy cheeks. He has to turn away before firmly answering, "I don't want a cat, Sting."

Behind him, Sting's shoulders visually slump in defeat. "Oh...okay..." He shuffles down the snowy cobble towards Rogue, hands in his jacket pockets.

Rogue hates with a passion seeing his lover upset, but he knows that it soon will pass. Smiling gently, he takes Sting's white gloved hand in his. "C'mon. You wanted new boots?"

Sting sighs, kicking a chunk of ice. "Not anymore. Let's go home, Rogue."

Rogue nods, but mentally adds a new pair of boots to the list of possible Christmas presents for Sting. Together they walk home in silence, black and white gloved fingers loosely intertwined, warmed by each other's company.

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Rogue sighs, kicking his feet up onto the ottoman as he sinks into the couch's soft red cushions. It felt so good to finally be home after such a long day of work. He picks up his book, leafing through the pages until he reaches the leather bookmark. He breathes in the smell of paper mixed with the scent of burning wood from the fireplace. Sting is due home any minute now, and as much as Rogue loves silence, he can't wait to feel Sting's warm, comforting arms wrap around him.

A car door slams outside of the apartment, causing Rogue to sit up perfectly straight on the couch. That had to be Sting. Rogue waits patiently, listening for his partner's excited footsteps as he climbs up to the second floor where their apartment is located. A deep frown etches itself onto Rogue's face at a hiss of "Quiet!" coming from outside. Was Sting with someone? He didn't mention he was inviting anyone over tonight... Unease twists in the back of Rogue's stomach. He didn't like it when people showed up without warning, it made him anxious. A distressed groan escapes his lips at the sight of the messy living room, plates, papers, and video game boxes strewn all over the floor.

Sting cusses on the other side of the door, an odd banging noise echoing in Rogue's ears. Rogue flinches from the awful sound, wondering what the _hell_ Sting was doing. "Rogue!" Sting's muffled voice calls. "Ouch! Stop scratching me, I'm trying!" Another strange noise rebounds on Sting's side of the door. "Rogue! The door, please!"

"I'm coming," Rogue shakes his head slightly, setting down his book on the side table before shuffling to the door. He opens the latch, shivering as the below freezing winds flood into their small, cozy apartment. Sting is all bundled up in his beanie, scarf, thick jacket, gloves, and waterproof boots. He looks as if he's freezing half to death, but a wide smile is spread across his pink cheeks. In his arms is a squirming bundle of blankets that looks suspiciously alive.

Rogue's jaw drops. "You didn't..." He closes his eyes, shaking his head again. Sighing dramatically, he steps aside to let the ball of clothes known as Sting Eucliffe inside. After closing the door behind him, Rogue whirls to face his boyfriend. "I said not to buy a cat!"

Sting smirks mischievously, his cheeks still glowing. "And I listened to you!" He unravels the blankets, revealing the face of the fluffy red cat from the window.

Rogue's eyes look ready to pop out of his skull. "DID YOU STEAL IT?!" he cries with indignation, gesturing widely with both hands.

Sting's eyes widen in horror. "Oh god no! I would never do that!"

"But I said you can't have a cat!" Rogue grips his hair tightly, exasperated by his lover's stubbornness.

"Yeah, you said I can't have **_a_** cat." Rogue's head jerks upwards just in time to see Sting disentangle the blankets from a second cat, this one much smaller and a light shade of green. "So I bought two!" Sting laughs gleefully.

Rogue's shoulders slump. He had to admit, that was pretty damn clever. "Sting Eucliffe," he groans, pinching the bridge of his scarred nose. "What am I ever going to do with you?"

Sting leans forward, brushing his nose against Rogue's in a mock Eskimo kiss. "Stay madly in love with me, just like you always have."

The smaller cat purrs loudly, then leaps forward onto Rogue's chest. Rogue yelps, stumbling backwards as the little green furball latches itself onto Rogue's deep red scarf with its claws. For a second Rogue is paranoid it would rip the fabric, but only moments later the small creature snuggles into the red material and falls asleep. Rogue stares at the tiny cat in amazement, reaching out two tentative fingers to pet its green fur. It purrs in its sleep, happily nestling deeper into the scarf's folds.

Sting watches with a blinding grin on his face as his partner strokes the tiny little fuzzball with a look of pure innocence on his face. It had to be just about the cutest thing he'd ever seen. Quickly he's pulling out his phone, opening Snapchat and snapping a picture. He sends it to his best friend Yukino with the caption "I think I just melted".

Meanwhile, the large red cat Sting had named "Lector" leaps out of Sting's arms and onto the floor. It scratches at Sting's right boot, meowing loudly.

"Jeez, calm down," Sting laughs, picking up the squirming feline and holding him up to his face. "Be good for me, okay?" Lector promptly scratches Sting right on the cheek, drawing blood.

Across the way, Rogue is laughing his ass off, finding it hilariously ironic that the one confident in his "learning by experience" skills is the one being mauled by a massive red fluffball.

He then spends the next ten minutes filming the two running around the house with Sting's phone and sending it as Snapchats to Yukino. As Sting collapses in defeat on the kitchen floor, giggling as Lector licks the cuts on his face with thick tongue; Rogue can't help but to smile.

Maybe he is a cat person after all.

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 **Prompt: Imagine person A wants to get a cat they see in a pet shop, but person B says that they are not having a cat. They argue for a bit but A doesn't get the cat. The next day A comes home with the same cat and another one. When B reminds them that they said they didn't want one, A responds with 'I know! That's why I bought 2!'**

 ** _It was so Stingue I just had to X"D_**

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 **~ForeverDreamer12, signing out!**


	4. Canon: White

**IT'S STINGUE WEEK *throws confetti***

 **I'm going to try to get all of these up ASAP, but a few of them may be late, who knows. I've got a choir concert and a band concert back to back, as well as three tests...so I may be a little busy.**

 **Anyways, enjoy~**

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 **Verse: Canon**

 **Rating: T for language and implied suggestive themes**

 **Summary: There was simply too much white...Sting wasn't sure he could handle it.**

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 **Stingue Week Day 1: White**

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Sting Eucliffe had never been this nervous in his entire life.

His hands were shaking, palms were sweating, and his heart was pounding faster than he thought was possible. "I might puke," he says weakly, adjusting his tie for the fifteenth time since he'd put it on.

"Dude, you need to chill." Natsu pulls on his black suit jacket, dusting it off slightly. The small rose pinned on the chest is more elaborate than the one on Gray or Rufus' suit. Natsu is the Best Man...at Sting's wedding.

 _Sting's wedding._

"I AM GOING TO PUKE!"

"Calm your shit!" Gajeel barks from nearby, helping Lyon find something. "You're fine!"

"Honestly Sting, it's way less stressful than you think it will be," Alzack walks up to him, followed by Rufus. "It's natural to be nervous, but there's no need to have a panic attack. What are you afraid of, Sting?"

Sting breathes in deeply, his hands clenched into fists. "Everything."

"You're scared of me?!" Natsu exclaims, mouth open in an 'O'.

"Not of you in particular, just of what you could **_do_** ," Sting stresses the final word as he moves a hand to the bridge of his nose. He pinches it tightly, breathing in and out slowly. "I swear to god, if you break ANYTHING-"

"I'll kick his ass," Gray threatens. "If he fucks up your day Sting, I'll make him pay."

"Same," Gajeel's sadistic grin spreads across his face, sending shivers down Sting's spine.

"Or Erza or My Lady will do it," Rufus chuckles.

Sting looks down at his plain white suit, the only black sticking out being the crooked bow tie. A single dark red rose is pinned to the side, open just enough to annunciate the petals' shape. There was just so. Much. White. It made him extremely anxious. What if he spilled?!

Just then, Rogue's voice echoes from the back room, "I don't know! You're the one setting that up, not me!"

Sting's eyes go wide with nerves. He springs behind Natsu, trembling. "Hide me," he whispers. "He can't see me like this!"

The others roll their eyes. "Get a grip, man," Orga shakes his head.

A man in a full black suit save a white bow tie storms into the room, dark hair pulled back into a ponytail which flies out behind his head. His red eyes are flashing with anger, his brow knitted with stress. "Does anyone in here know what the FUCK happened to the cake?!"

Multiple people flinch. They hadn't seen Rogue this hysterical in ages. The man in question whirls towards Natsu, opening his mouth to speak, then closing it again. His eyes land on the trembling blond clutching onto Natsu's shoulders from behind. Rogue's face softens as he steps forward towards Sting, reaching over Natsu's shoulder to fix Sting's crooked bow tie. "You need to stop messing with it, silly." He smiles fondly, stepping back to make sure the tie is straight.

The others watch openmouthed as Sting's shoulders relax a bit, stepping out from behind Natsu. Both of the Twin Dragon's moods change from maniac to a sudden calm within a matter of seconds.

"Amazing," Lyon mumbles as he fixes his hair. "It's as if he flicked a switch."

"They really are something," smiles Hibiki.

Rogue takes Sting's hands in his, squeezing them gently. "Relax," he says softly. "I can tell you're stressed... It's just another day with me."

"Yeah, the most important day of our life!" Sting laughs nervously. "Kind of a big deal, Rogue!"

Rogue's smile only widens. "All the more reason to be calm...try and enjoy yourself. This is supposed to be fun." He pauses for a second, an excited glimmer in his ruby eyes. "Sting, we're getting married."

His sudden excitement lights a spark of confidence inside of Sting's stomach. A grin spreads across his lips, brightening his eyes. "We're getting married," he repeats. He squeezes Rogue's hands, laughing slightly. "Married!"

Rogue can't help but to smile from his fiancé's childish enthusiasm. "See, that's what I'm talking about. This is a celebration. Nerves are natural...hell, I'm _extremely_ nervous, but there's no need to get worked up." He kisses Sting's forehead lightly, brushing aside Sting's messily combed fringe. "And fix your hair, you dork."

"Ughhhh," Sting groans in frustration, trying to organize his messy sprawl of spikes.

"You're both going to be fine," Rufus says primly. "That is, if you practiced dancing."

"DANCING IS MAN!" Elfman roars.

Sting's eyes widen in panic. "What type of dancing?!"

"The salsa," snickers Natsu.

"Tango," Lyon adds over his shoulder.

"Totally the truffle shuffle," Dobengal nods.

"No!" Rufus looks appalled. "Ballroom! Stop trying to make it worse! And Dobengal, please take off your mask, this is formal occasion!" Dobengal grudgingly follows out Rufus' request, folding his mask and slipping it into his jacket pocket.

"He's like a nagging mother," mumbles Ren. Hibiki and Eve nod once in agreement.

"You'd think this was his wedding," grumbles Gajeel.

"What the fuck is the truffle shuffle?!" Laxus questions to himself more than anyone.

Rogue breaks apart from an embrace he had just shared with Sting to ask, "Did anyone ever find the cake?"

"No," the group choruses.

"Dammit," Rogue groans, pinching the bridge of his nose, mirroring what Sting had done earlier. "I shouldn't be worrying about this, this is not my responsibility..."

"Then don't worry about it," Jellal comments as he enters the room. "I'll go find Erza, she'll probably have an idea. If not, I'm sure Mira and Lisanna can whip something up real fast."

The tension dissipates from Rogue's chest. "Really? Oh, thank you so much, Jellal...we owe you."

Jellal shakes his head. "You owe nothing. I am simply here to atone for my sins, and therefore must commit acts of good."

Half the room sweatdrops. Sting snorts loudly, "Well, according to a fraction of the population, this entire wedding is a sin, so you're doing much to help out in that regard."

Laughter echoes throughout the room. "Oh Sting, our entire guild is a sin," Rufus laughs.

A knock sounds on the door, silencing the group of men. "Everyone decent?"

"Yes," everyone choruses.

The door swings open, revealing Lucy dressed in a long gold dress. "It's time, guys. Places."

"Did they get the cake?" Jellal asks, pushing forward.

"Yes, everything's all set," Lucy smiles, looking towards the Twin Dragons. "You guys ready? We can hold it off for like 20 more minutes if you need some more time..."

"No!" They both turn to look at each other, surprised at the other's eagerness. They laugh in unison, snickering over their own stupidity before Rogue quickly adds, "We're ready, Lucy." He squeezes Sting's hand one final time. "We've been ready for a very long time."

* * *

Sting had to admit, he almost cried when Makarov suggested he would walk Sting down the aisle.

"You have to have someone, don't you?" he had said. "I'm sure Mira wouldn't mind walking Rogue. You're important to us...friends of the Fairy Tail guild are family."

Sting takes a deep breath. The way they'd decided to work this out, as their wedding wasn't exactly normal, was that they would have the whole rest of the wedding party go first, then Sting would go, then finally Rogue. Rogue promised Sting he'd be right behind him, that he wouldn't leave him standing there with his nerves.

And yet...Sting was terrified. Terrified that Rogue would abandon him, that he'd trip on his way up, that he'd stumble over his words in his vow, or worse, forget his vow entirely.

"Breathe, Sting-sama," Yukino says softly, placing a hand on Sting's shoulder. Her gold Maid of Honor dress shimmers under the sunlight. "Everything's going to be perfect."

"Perfection doesn't exist..." Sting mumbles, messing with his collar nervously.

"I think," Yukino smiles, "that you and Rogue-sama are one of the most perfect matches I've ever seen."

Sting can't help but to smile back. "Yeah..." he breathes. "I think so to..."

"Here we go!" Erza shouts, her hands cupped around her mouth. "Time to begin! Places everybody!"

"Don't forget to smile, Sting-sama!" Yukino says cheerfully, rushing off to her place beside Minerva.

"Oh trust me, I'll smile so much my mouth will hurt," Sting grins. Makarov appears by his side, extending an arm. Sting slides his arm into the crook of the older man's elbow. Behind them, Rogue smooths his hair, then extends his arm for Mirajane. She smiles wildly, then whispers something in Rogue's ear. His face flushes red with obvious embarrassment, and he hisses something back at her under his breath. Mira giggles mischievously.

Noticing Sting's unwavering stare, Rogue's cheeks are tinted with another blush as he smiles at him. Sting can't stop himself from blowing a kiss and winking, mouthing, 'You look hot'. Rogue's face burns, but he gains his composure fairly quickly, smirking back at Sting and responding, 'Right back at you'.

Mirajane giggles again, muttering, "eye sex" under her breath, causing Rogue to try to hide behind his bangs. Sting laughs, because Rogue looks hella cute when flustered.

One by one couples line up out in front of the Sabertooth Guild Hall. Frosh, the "flower girl", stands in front of Sting. "When does Fro go?" it asks slightly impatiently.

"Just a little longer," Sting reassures it. "Trust me, I'm just as ready as you are."

"Tell me about it," Rogue chuckles from behind him. "All these endless days of wedding practice...I'm so done with it. I just want to get married already..."

"Same," Sting replies, not daring to turn around in fear he'd miss his entrance. Makarov prompts Frosch, leaving only the engaged couple and their escorts. "Here we go," Sting breathes. "I'm ready."

And so, he steps through the doors and into the makeshift aisle. The sound of Rogue's sleek shoes against the floor behind him give Sting a bit of reassurance: he is not alone in this sea of white and gold.

Rufus sits at the piano, playing a song he composed for the occasion, as there was no bride to play for. Not that it mattered, as Rufus' song was a masterpiece. He'd taught Rogue how to play it to, and every now and then he'd play it for Sting with the worn piano in their living room.

It brought back memories of these past few months of engagement. It had been stressful, but the feeling of growing excitement fueled the two of them to live each day to the fullest. Sting remembered all those late nights, either on the back porch gazing at the stars, or in bed in each others' arms, leaving marks on their bare skin as they fall into pleasure.

As he steps onto the riser, turning around, his eyes land on Rogue, and he appears to shift under Sting's gaze to the boy he once knew. Sting still remembers the first time he met Rogue: the shaggy, dark-haired boy with fierce red eyes and a small stature.

 _Sting had been a hot topic in the small town: the little boy who fought for money and never lost...until he was challenged by the young Shadow Dragon. Worn out from a previous fight, and not expecting much from the smaller boy, overconfidence faded into failure after a long half hour of fighting. Rogue had won, taking the money Sting had needed for food that evening._

 _Sting had fallen to his knees, begging for a rematch, some way to receive food. The other boy had tipped up Sting's chin, looking him straight in the eyes as he spoke in that soft, yet firm voice of his, "Follow me."_

 _From that moment on they'd been together. Rogue retrieved food from Phantom Lord after his training with Gajeel, coming to their shared "home" of a cardboard box every evening, and Sting would spend his days on the streets, fighting for money just like he used to. They cuddled together for warmth inside the thin cardboard, their Exceeds snuggled against their chests._

 _Rogue had never cried...in fact, he'd never shown any emotion at all. Until one night, after Phantom disbanded, when Rogue broke down into sobs on the curb, his dreams all shattered into pieces. If Sting had understood what he was feeling, then he would say it was right then that he knew they would never leave each other's side._

And as Rogue took his place across the alter, facing Sting, this thought blossoms into full bloom, an explosion of color. The pastor begins talking, but neither of them were listening, instead gazing deep into their partner's eyes. The pastor drones on and on while Sting melts into Rogue's soft ruby eyes.

Nothing mattered but the two of them.

The pastor clears his throat loudly, lowering his book to address the couple. "You may now state your vows."

With unsteady hands, Sting unfolds the piece of paper in the pocket. Sting takes a deep breath, hands shaking. He cannot mess this up. "Rogue," he says a little too softly, his voice trembling. He can tell Rogue is supporting him by the way his eyes sparkle under the lights above. In that moment, Sting decides to take a risk. He takes the prepared speech and crumples it up in his hand, shoving it back into his pocket. A few murmurs come from the crowd, but they quickly fade.

Sting tries again, much stronger this time. "Rogue, I wouldn't want to be standing next to anyone else in the world right now. You are, without a doubt, the most wonderful person I've ever had the privilege of meeting. Things of beauty in this world do not hold a candle to your smile. When you are happy, my world lights up with colors so bright that it's almost blinding.

"I promise that I will never let you fall to darkness. I will not give you my light unless you ask for it; instead, I will show you the light you hold inside of your own heart. I will show you the way the rest of world sees you; the way I see you. When you look in the mirror, you will not see the timid, broken boy you think you are, you will see the strong, beautiful Dragon Slayer that you REALLY are.

"I promise to treasure you every single breathing moment, and even when you sleep for the last time, I will not leave you. My love for you knows no bounds, and it will never fade away. I love you, Ryos. And I promise you I will always be here for you, no matter how dark times become...

"My love...is eternal."

Finally Sting feels a weight lifted off his chest, exhaling the final pieces of fear. He'd done it. And hell, that wasn't even the vow he prepared: it came out of nowhere.

He can hear someone crying, and he's almost positive it's Mirajane. The 'aww's coming from the crowd bring an embarrassed flush to Sting's cheeks. Had it been too cheesy? But when Sting lifts his head to look at his partner and sees the tears shining on his cheeks, Sting knows he did well.

Rogue takes a moment to calm himself down, carefully wiping away the tears with his pointer finger. He clears his throat and stands up straight. Had he memorized his, or did he decide beforehand to go in cold?

"Sting," his voice is gentle, yet it is enforced with emotion. "I cannot even express the gratitude and love I have for you. You are the light in my life, the escape when everything is black all around me. You've saved me from myself more times than I can remember. I live for your touch, your words, your smile that barely ever leaves your shining face. I can say, without hesitation or doubt, that you are the brightest person I know. I can't imagine living without you, Sting. I won't be a burden to you; instead I will be equal to you in love and in life.

"I will support you, cheer you on, comfort you. I don't expect anything in return but your heart, as I will give you all of mine. I am not yours, and neither are you mine. We are not separate. We are one. You complete me, and I will do the same for you. I love you, Sting Eucliffe. And somewhere deep down...I think I always have."

Sting can't stop the tears from coating his cheeks, so unbelievably moved by Rogue's vow. It resonated somewhere deep in his chest, right within his heart. Rogue's tears have returned, a beautiful smile spreading across his lips.

The pastor removes his glasses to wipe his streaming eyes, mumbling something about beauty as he raises his book up once more. He sniffs, then regains his composure. "Ahem." He turns to look at Sting, the silence in the room extremely tense. This was it.

"Sting Eucliffe of Sabertooth, do you take Ryos Cheney to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

Sting couldn't help himself, the next words slipping out before he could stop them, "Fuck yeah I do." Multiple people laughed, and to Sting's relief, Rogue chuckles along with them.

The pastor mumbles something about how thankful he is to be holding this ceremony in a guild hall instead of a sacred church, then turns to Rogue.

"Ryos Cheney of Sabertooth, do you take Sting Eucliffe to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

Traditions already broken, a warm smile spreads across Rogue's face as he replies, "Is that even a question?" He looks back at Sting, holding his gaze with teary red eyes. "Yes...I do."

The pastor shuts the book dramatically, nodding towards the duo. "I pronounce you married. You may kiss."

Sting grins lopsidedly, "May?" He steps forward, taking Rogue up in his arms. "Nah," he laughs when their forwards are touching, "Pretty sure it's a requirement."

"Shut up," Rogue chuckles.

They close the distance between their lips, eyes closing, arms pulling each other close. Somebody screams excitedly, and then the rest of the hall explodes into cheers. Sting can hear the noise in his ears, but his eyes remain shut, melting into Rogue's kiss. _Don't think...feel._ _  
_  
They hold on for much too long, their Dragon Slayer enhanced lungs providing them with an excess of air. The pastor clears his throat awkwardly, but he is ignored as Rogue's arms loop around Sting's neck, pulling him closer.

Someone whistles. A voice that sounds suspiciously like Gray shouts, "THIS IS PORN!" to which someone screams, "WHERE IS YOUR SUIT?! YOU'RE THE PORNO HERE!"

The Twin Dragons finally break apart, laughing as a boxer-clad Gray scrambles around trying to find his tuxedo among the chaos. The newlywed couple descends into the crowd, hand in hand.

"Eucliffe-Cheney, huh?" asks Hibiki. "A little long, don't you think?"

Sting opens his mouth, most likely about to make a crude comeback when a Rogue interrupts with, "Like I said earlier, we are equal. If one of us took the other's name, it would imply he is greater."

"Is this some sort of weird fight for dominance Dragon Slayer thing?" Orga grumbles.

"Probably," remarks Rufus from his elbow.

"Oi," Sting laughs, "we all know I'm the dominant one here."

"Right," Rogue smirks. "That's totally the case _allll_ of the time."

Sting's cheeks flush. "Th-That was one time!"

"Three!" Rogue counters.

"One!" Sting fires back.

It takes only seconds before they're facing each other, eyes narrowed, lips curled into a sneer as animalistic growls escape their throats. Rufus coughs awkwardly and slowly leads Orga away, leaving the newlyweds to their intense staring contest.

"Wait until you're alone, won't you?" teases Lyon as he approaches them. They pull away, blushing like mad and turning away from each other with an exaggerated "hmph".

The wedding party then proceeds to help clear away the chairs, scrambling to throw them outside and clear a dance floor. Everyone is working together to make sure that everything is set up according to plan, especially those who heard Gray's and Gajeel's threats about what they would do if someone were to mess the day up for the Twin Dragons.

Once the room is cleared, the newlyweds take the dance floor. After a moment of silent arguing, Rogue switches their position so he is leading.

Orga snorts, nudging Rufus. "Dominant, huh?" Rufus only chuckles in reply.

The DJ (who is really just Lector in sunglasses) cues up the song for the first dance. It has been "their song" since they'd first heard on it on the radio lacrima station: Light, by Sleeping at Last.

They sway together with perfect synchronization, their souls connected just like a Unison Raid, hearts swelling in their chests. Sting begins to sing along softly to the song, a warm, loving smile only spreading wider and wider across his lips. Rogue can feel tears in his eyes as he slowly starts to sing as well, heart erupting in his chest. He knew that from now on, Sting would be there to love him, cherish him, protect him, just like always. Except that now they had matching rings to seal the promise even deeper inside of them, connected from their ring fingers to their heart.

Rogue rests his head on Sting's shoulder as they sway together, breathing in his husband's scent. Sting's voice in his ear is soft and soothing, and hell, he's actually _in tune and in key_ for once. He harmonizes with the White Dragon Slayer, feeling his heartbeat in the way their chests brush together in every turn.

The song ends, the last note lingering the air, supported by only Sting's breath until it fades away. A few people clap respectfully, but the rest of the group shatters the moment with loud screams of excitement. _Figures._

For the next few hours everyone danced until their feet hurt, and quite a few people got drunk or at least tipsy. Sting knew that Rogue hated it when Sting drank much more than a single glass, so he downed his single champagne and then stayed away. They spent the evening dancing in each other's arms, feeding each other cake, and talking with _absolutely everyone._

As the evening goes on, Sting can't help but to wonder about the way his partner recited his vow. After shooing away a few _extremely_ drunk Blue Pegasus members, a lewd Bacchus, and a sobbing Juvia, Sting is finally alone with Rogue. "Hey," he says gently as he takes his husband's hand to pull him back out onto the dance floor, leading this time. "Can I ask you something?"

"Why would I say no?" Rogue replies with a smile. A slight blush creeps into his cheeks, looking away slightly as he quickly adds, "Don't answer that."

Sting laughs, knowing well that is partner is referring to the few times he's asked awkward questions with other people present. "Haha, no, not _that_. It's about your vow."

Rogue's head snaps back to facing Sting, his attention grabbed. "Oh?"

"I'm just curious, did you memorize that whole thing?" Sting asks, slowly spinning Rogue in a gradual circle. "Because that must have been extremely nerve-wracking."

Rogue laughs, shaking his head as Sting finishes the spin and pulls him close again. "Oh, no, of course not. I saw you crumple up your script and thought I should just improvise too. I feel like it's more heartfelt and honest that way."

"Can I read the old one?" Sting teases.

"Only if I can read yours," Rogue responds smugly, touching his forehead to Sting's.

"Oh _hell_ no."

They laugh in unison, knowing well that both of their vows were probably much too formal on the paper and not like them at all. It was hard to be heartfelt when you were trying too hard. "We should read them tonight," Rogue chuckles. "Just for a laugh."

Sting snorts. "Is that _really_ the first thing you wanna do when we get back?"

Rogue flushes dark pink. "What did I say about awkward questions?"

Sting simply raises an eyebrow at him. "No one's listening."

A small smile spreads across Rogue's face as he lets out an over-exaggerated sigh. "Oh, I suppose so." They both burst into laughter again, snickering when people look over in drunken confusion.

"To answer your question," Rogue whispers in Sting's ear the next time they're close enough in the rotation, "I mean we should read them after that."

"Figured as much," Sting smirks.

"Then why the hell did you ask?!" Rogue exclaims, pulling back to start another spin.

Sting chuckles as he rotates Rogue around a little too fast, moving his feet slightly above tempo. "Because I wanted to see you get embarrassed about it."

Rogue rolls his eyes as Sting pulls him back up to his chest, so close they could feel each other's breath on their skin. "Figured as much."

Sting snorts as he replies jokingly, "Then why did you ask?"

That sets them off again, laughing over how different and yet how similar they are. Opposites attract, they do say. But it seemed that every day they found more and more similarities, and their bond only got stronger.

The rest of the night was a whirlwind of white until the party ended and they walked home together in silence, holding hands and brushing shoulders. Once they were home, they fell into each other, joining into one in perfect unison, breathing into each other's hearts and souls. Afterwards they laid awake, laughing over their cheesy vows and awkward stories from the years they'd been together, reliving the past in its full glory.

Looking back on it, they would both agree without hesitation that day was one of the best of their lives.

For nothing was more important to them than each other.


	5. Canon: Fight

**All I ask is for you to forgive me.**

 **Verse: Canon**

 **Rating: T+ for triggers**

 **Summary: Rogue has had enough.**

* * *

 _ **TRIGGER WARNING: CHARACTER DEATH, SUICIDE ATTEMPT**_

* * *

 **Stingue Week Day 2: Fight**

* * *

Rogue pinches the bridge of his nose, desperately trying to stay awake. His cup of coffee sits next to him on the table, steaming in the cool air. Around him, the guild is a comfortable volume level: not too loud, but still active. Everyone is taking a fairly lazy day, bundled up in fluffy clothes and drinking hot drinks. Yukino and Minerva are curled up together on a beanbag that Sting had decided the guild hall needed, holding hot ciders and reading a book together. Yukino is on Minerva's lap, head leaned back against her shoulder. Both look warm, happy, and content.

Rogue feels a twinge of envy in his stomach. His eyes flick towards Rufus, who is writing more poetry. Orga is talking to him about how he could write a song with the poems as lyrics, and Rufus chuckles and agrees, planning a gentle kiss on Orga's cheek. Once again, Rogue's heart sinks. He should be happy that his guild family is opening up about these kinds of things, and yet, all he feels is jealously.

Because he doesn't have that.

He should, he really should. Hell, he _used_ to. He had it before any of them. He had it before Minerva returned to the guild, before Orga came to the conclusion he was pan, before any of the other couples sitting the room right now had even kissed once-

Rogue drops his coffee mug, listening to the sound it makes as it shatters against the floor. Everyone looks up in surprise, the peaceful atmosphere shattered. Rogue watches as the dark brown liquid spreads across the wooden floor, the puddle spreading. Tears sting his eyes as he stands there, watching as his guildmates begin to whisper. Rogue turns on his heel and storms off towards the Guild Master's Office. It's high time to pay him a little visit.

Normally Rogue would knock, but for now he doesn't bother. Instead, he shoves the door open full force, satisfied when the door loudly slams into the wall. The man behind the desk jumps in his chair, nearly falling onto the floor. "Fucking hell, Rogue, you nearly gave me a heart attack." Sting breathes, clutching his chest dramatically. "Knock next time, won't you? I was extremely bu-" Sting's sentence is cut off when Rogue stalks towards the desk, a fire in his eyes. "O-Oi, Rogue, what are you-"

Rogue grabs Sting's jacket, breathing heavily as he looks into Sting's dark blue eyes surrounded by dark circles. Rogue can see the fatigue on Sting's face, in all his features, in the way he slumps slightly in his seat. His papers are strewn all over his desk, not organized in the slightest. His quill had fallen out of his inkwell, smearing ink across a blank piece of parchment. "You," he growls, tightening his grip and pulling Sting's face closer to his. "How _dare_ you..."

Sting blinks. He forces a shaky smile onto his face, hoping to make light of the obviously tense situation. "Very attractive look you've got there."

Rogue growls again, pressing his forehead against Sting's. "You joke around like this isn't serious," he hisses, "like you're not doing something wrong."

"What is wrong with you?" Sting snaps, gritting his teeth together. "Jeez, did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed?"

"You wouldn't know," Rogue spits, "BECAUSE YOU WEREN'T FUCKING THERE!"

Sting's eyes widen in realization. Rogue is trembling from head to toe. He drops Sting back down into his chair, turning his face away in an attempt to hide his tears. Sting swallows hard. "Oh, Rogue...so that's what is about, huh?" He stands up, moving towards the Shadow Dragon. He extends a hand towards Rogue's shoulder as he continues on, "Look, Rogue, I-"

Rogue whirls around, his eyes blazing crimson as he slaps Sting's hand away. "Don't fucking touch me!" More tears follow the first, sliding down his cheeks like waterfalls.

Sting takes a step back, fear rising in his chest and to his throat. He felt _sick_. He felt so, _so_ sick. Was his lack of rest catching up with him? He swallows once more, trying to calm himself down. Rogue is just being Rogue, assuming things before he knows the full story out of self-loathing, believing things without any evidence because he thinks the world is a horrible, dark place made for making his life hell.

Sting takes a deep breath before continuing, "Look, I've been extremely busy lately, okay? I've had so much work to do...I've had to go the last few days without sleeping...It's fine, I'm used to it, and I don't-"

The strangled yell that escapes Rogue's lips shatters Sting's heart into two as the Shadow Dragon slams his fist into the wall. "YOU, YOU, YOU! IT'S ALWAYS ABOUT **_YOU_**! I know I'm a worthless piece of shit that shouldn't even be in this world anymore, but that doesn't mean that sometimes I don't feel like being loved!"

Rogue's voice cracks as he continues. "I hate myself..." he whispers. "I really do...I think I should just die sometimes...but there are some days...where I allow myself to be a person...to actually be a physical part of this world...and I know this is stupid and selfish and I probably shouldn't even be saying this shit because I don't deserve you or your love but I'm so fucking tired of waking up in the middle of the night from nightmares and being alone!"

Sting freezes. Tears bubble up in his eyes as Rogue continues to bash on himself, speaking all of his depressive inner thoughts for Sting to hear.

"You used to always be there..." Rogue whispers shakily, a single tear falling from his cheek to the floor. "I used to never be able to fall asleep without you by my side...but lately I've been so tired I've slipped into sleep without you...in the cold...in the dark...all alone... And my dreams are plagued with voices and blood and shadows...and I when I awake, screaming so loudly my lungs burn, tears coating my face like paint, blood on my palms from where my nails dug into my skin...you aren't there...and in that moment...I'm alone...and I worry...that it's all real...and that I'm sleeping alone because you are...you are..." His voice drops off, barely even a whisper. "...you are dead."

Sting is speechless. He wants to say something, anything to console his trembling lover in front of him, but all words die in his throat. He can't counter something like that...his words would seem fake, false, not sufficient in the slightest. Instead he springs forward, not caring that Rogue tries to push him off, and slams his lips into Rogue's.

He can feel the other trying to push him away, desperately shoving Sting's chest back, but Sting presses him against the wall, melting into his lips. After a long moment, Rogue stops struggling. Sting breaks for a brief moment, breathing in deeply before kissing Rogue again. He has to communicate the way he feels, the million things he wants to say but can't find the words for. Just when Sting starts to relax, Rogue places both hands on Sting's stomach and pushes him away.

Sting falls backwards to the floor, yelping out loud in pain. Rogue is running away, black cape flooding out behind him as he exits the room. He slams the door behind him, halting Sting's pursuit. Swearing under his breath, Sting shoves open the door and rushes into the guild hall. "Where did he go?!" he screams, tears sliding down his face.

The others look at him with wide eyes, concern written all over their features. Dobengal is the first to speak, saying softly, "He went upstairs..."

"Upstairs?!" Sting cries, rushing towards the staircase. "Why the hell would he go upstairs instead of outside? There's nowhere to run when you're-" Sting suddenly stops, a dreadful thought filling his chest. "What if...he's not trying to run..." Sting's eyes widen, fear shooting through his heart. "The roof!" he gasps, rushing towards the roof access stairwell.

He finally bursts out of the stairwell, the trapdoor making a loud thudding sound as it opens. Breathing heavily, Sting looks across the cloudy skyline, searching for Rogue. He finally sees him, cape flowing out behind him, a black flag, like one that ships would fly...after someone died.

It was then that Sting knew that nothing good could come out of this.

"Rogue!" he screams, voice strained and high-pitched. He staggers forwards towards the edge of the roof where Rogue stands. About ten feet away, he's unable to go any further and falls to his knees. "Rogue, please!"

The Shadow Dragon does not turn around, instead staring straight out into the darkened horizon.

Sting tries again, more desperate this time, "ROGUE!"

At last, the other man turns around. His face is almost hidden by his dark hair, but Sting can make out a wave of fresh tears coating his cheeks. He is _crying_. Oh god, he is still crying. "Sting..." he whispers, his voice hollow. Emotion slowly creeps into his tone as he continues. "Please...go back inside... I don't want you to see this..." A small, painful smile spreads across his lips. "Live, Sting..."

Sting shakes his head violently, new tears coating his cheeks. Above them, the dark sky opens up, rain slowly beginning to fall. Sting's entire body trembles. Just one movement, and Rogue could slip right off the edge...

"NO!" Sting screeches, voice uncontrollably loud. "YOU CAN'T DO IT, ROGUE! YOU CAN'T! DON'T YOU DARE STEP OFF THE EDGE!"

Rogue shakes his head sadly. "Oh, Sting..." he says softly. The rain is falling faster and harder now, soaking his hair and clothes. "Isn't this want you want? You don't want to die, do you?"

"What the _hell_ are you talking about?!" Sting screams, nearly choking on a mixture of falling rain and his own tears.

"You never loved me." Rogue speaks the words in such a cold, factual manner, as if they meant nothing at all. Sting opens his mouth to protest when Rogue continues. "You only pretended to out of fear. I can see right through you... You didn't want to make me angry...you thought that by rejecting my feelings, I'd kill you... You did all of those things to keep my anger in check...you try to distract me from my dark thoughts with sweet nothings..."

Rogue smiles again, this time with heavy eyes. The emotion is leaking through his mask now, like blood pouring from an open wound. "I'm sorry, Sting," he whispers, "but the game is over. You can drop the act now." He closes his eyes, trembling. "I'll set you free, now. All your fears can go to rest... Because even if you didn't love me...I have _always_ loved you."

Sting's heart shatters. A mixture of anger and fear fills his chest, agonizingly strong. "NO!" he shrieks. "THAT'S NOT TRUE! THAT'S NOT TRUE AT ALL!"

"Goodbye," Rogue whispers. He turns his head forwards, facing the edge.

Something inside Sting snaps. "YOU DON'T WANT TO KILL ME, HUH?! THEN DON'T FUCKING DO IT, ROGUE CHENEY! IF YOU JUMP OFF THAT EDGE, I WILL FOLLOW YOU, YOU HEAR ME?!"

Rogue jolts, whirling violently around to face Sting. Shock spreads across his features like the oncoming tide. "N-No..." he stammers. "Wh-Why...?!"

Sting's lip trembles. "D-Do you think I would d-do all of things...because I was scared? Do you think I would k-kiss you, c-cuddle you, m-make love to you, b-because I was scared?! Do you think I would give myself up to you, sh-show you every single little piece of me that I don't show anyone else?! D-Do you think I'd put all my weaknesses onto display for someone I was scared of to see?!"

Sting shakes his head slowly, water droplets falling from his hair. "No," he whispers. "I wouldn't..."

Rogue's mouth opens wide in shock, eyes growing large. "Y-You..."

"I love you so, so much," Sting sobs, head down. Rain falls all around him, but he can't feel it. "I couldn't f-find the words to say so inside... I th-thought that everything I could say sounded f-fake and like I was lying..." He lets out a breathy gasp between sobs. "Please..." he whimpers. "Live, Ryos... I love you...and so does everyone else in our guild...y-your family...they need you...they love you..."

His head snaps up again, emotional blue eyes swirling with tears. "I'm so, so sorry that I'm such a shitty partner, that I leave you alone in the dark, in the night... I swear on my life, on my father's grave, that I will never, ever do that to you ever again... If I must leave...I will take you with me... I will not leave you behind with your inner demons ever again... Because I love you..."

Sting shakily makes his way to his feet, extending a hand out in front of him. "T-Take my hand, Rogue. Come back to me... Step away from the edge...and come back to those who love you..."

Rogue lets out a strangled sob, burying his face into his hands. He just stands there and cries for what feels like forever, letting the rain fall faster and harder all around him. He slowly lifts his head, glancing at Sting with ruby red eyes. He reaches out towards Sting's outstretched hand, entire body trembling.

He wanted to live. He really did.

But Fate is cruel.

His hand grips onto Sting's, but as Sting pulls him forward, Rogue slips backwards, falling towards the edge of the roof. Sting is screaming, crying, falling forward onto his stomach, holding Rogue up with one hand, trying to pull him up. But the rain is slick on his hands, and their fingers start to slip.

As their fingertips slide apart, Rogue smiles one final time up into his lover's eyes. "I'll see you on the other side," he whispers.

Sting nods, tears in his eyes. "Y-Yeah..." He smiles as widely as he can through his tears. "I love you..." His grip tightens on the ledge, and he propels himself forward, letting go of the concrete and embracing Rogue in his arms.

They fall together, rain covering up the tears, light glowing off of Sting's skin, a ray of light as they are taken away by the heavens to their final resting place.

In the end, there was only one thing that mattered.

 _They were together._


	6. Canon: Comfort

**I hope this repairs your broken heart from the last oneshot X"D**

 **Verse: Canon**

 **Rating: T for language, nudity (not sexual), and a slightly suggestive exchange**

 **Summary: Rogue decides that Sting really needs a day off. (Shameless sappy fluffy shit and not much plot. That's pretty much the whole story. XD)**

* * *

 **Stingue Week Day 3: Comfort**

* * *

To say that Sting is frustrated would be an understatement.

Day after day he went through the same damn routine: wake up, go to the Guild, stay up until midnight doing paperwork, and go to bed at 1am. He is so done with everything: he just wanted to stay home and sleep all day.

"Fucking bastards!" Sting screams, kicking the nearest thing to him, which turns out to be a bench. The bench cracks in half, causing the few wizards seated on it to fall to the hard floor. "Shit! Sorry guys!" The few guild members pick themselves up off the floor, grumbling under their breath.

Sting looks ready to tear his hair out. "I'm just so done with the goddamn Magic Council! At this point I feel like they're being flat-out homophobic or some shit! Why else would they deny only me the damn privileges?!"

"Do you really think Master Bob from Pegasus is straight?" asks one of the guild members as he dusts off his tunic.

"Well, no, but I don't think he's trying to submit fucking S Class rights forms because he's been Guild Master for like 30 frickin' years!" Sting growls.

"This IS the Council we're talking about," Rufus points out from nearby. "They could come up with a million reasons to deny you anything. You're gay, you're too young, you're a Dragon Slayer, you're not single, you're a guy, you don't wear enough clothes, you're blond-"

"I get the point!" Sting interrupts, exasperated. "They're assholes and I'm so done with them! Hell, I'm done with everything!" With that, he promptly storms into his office, slamming the door behind him.

"It's like he's throwing a tantrum," Orga grumbles. "Where is Rogue when you need him?"

"Helping Yukino and Minerva downtown," Rufus sighs, turning a page in his book. "There was a problem with a house crumbling or something."

 _ **CRASH!**_

The two wizards flinch at the sound coming from Sting's office. "Someone call him," Dobengal mumbles.

"Probably the-"

 _ **SMASH!**_

"-most intelligent idea," Rufus finishes, pulling a communications lacrima from his pocket. "I'll take-"

 _ **BANG!**_

"-care of it."

Inside of the Guild Master's office, Sting falls to the floor, knuckles bruised, legs throbbing, throat sore from yelling. He is so, so tired. Rogue's nightmares awoke them both every single night, the Shadow Dragon shaking and sobbing into Sting's arms. Sting's chest felt heavy with guilt. Sure, it was Rogue's nightmares that kept him awake, but that wasn't a reason to blame Rogue. He had no control over the terrors that plagued his sleep like vultures circling above.

"I just want to sleep," he whispers from where he lies on the floor. "I'm so done...I wanna go home..."

"Then let's get out of here," says an exhausted voice from the doorway. Sting sits up rapidly, head spinning from the sudden movement. He had been so absorbed in his own thoughts that he hadn't even heard Rogue open the door.

"Rogue!" he exclaims with an almost childish excitement. He practically tackles him in a hug, causing the Shadow Dragon to stumble backwards.

"Easy," he scolds softly, his voice weak. He gently wraps his arms around Sting, holding him close. "I've been lifting heavy pieces of a broken building all day."

"Sorry," Sting mumbles into Rogue's chest, his voice muffled by the thick fabric of Rogue's gray shirt. "Glad you're back...I missed you..."

"Stressed?" Rogue's fingers run through Sting's blond spikes in an attempt to soothe him.

Sting lets out a relaxed sigh, snuggling deeper into Rogue's chest. "Mhmm."

"Let's go home," Rogue kisses the top of Sting's head, then slowly untangles himself from Sting's grasp. Rogue takes Sting's hand, silently leading him from the office. He closes the door behind them, bidding goodbye to their friends and requesting Yukino to look after the Exceeds. She agrees, and the Twin Dragons head home.

Rogue practically drags Sting all the way home, despite his own exhaustion. He knew Sting had a hard day just by looking at him. That, and he never was that enthusiastic about seeing Rogue after only 10 or so hours of being apart. He smiles sadly to himself, squeezing Sting's hand. Sting instantly responds with a quick squeeze of his own. He began to swing their joined hands like a pendulum, taking control. Rogue doesn't seem to mind, simply letting Sting do what he wishes.

Finally, Rogue pushes open the door of their shared home, letting a rush of warm air flood into his bones. Sting sighs in relief, letting go of Rogue's hand to stretch upwards towards the ceiling. "Phew. Home at last."

Rogue groans, rolling his shoulders forward and back. "I'm so stiff..."

"I wanna sleep," Sting whines childishly, kicking off his boots by the door.

Rogue yawns sleepily, removing his own boots. "Yeah...me too...sounds good to me..."

They trudge into the bedroom together in their socks, rubbing their eyes sleepily.

"Can we not go anywhere tomorrow?" Sting asks as he shrugs his vest from his shoulders, not caring where it lands.

Rogue yawns again, sliding the cape off himself and draping over the dresser. "Great idea..." he mumbles. He collapses onto the bed, pulling Sting down with him. Neither of them care that they are almost fully dressed, as sleep overtakes them within seconds.

* * *

"Rogue?"

"Hmm?"

"Can we stay like this forever?"

"Go to sleep."

"Can we?"

"...I wish."

* * *

Golden sunlight bathes Sting's stonecut features as the clock hits 11am. Rogue groans, rolling his stiff shoulders in an attempt to loosen them. A soft smile slides across his cheeks at the sight of Sting's calm expression, sleeping soundly beside him. They'd both had such rough nights for the last few months...it was such a relief to finally have a break.

They had no responsibilities today. Potentially they could stay in bed all day long, cuddled into each other's chests, breathing in perfect sync, but Rogue had a feeling that they would need food eventually. That, and Rogue very much desired a long, hot bubble bath.

But for now...he just needed to sleep.

* * *

Rogue awoke again a few hours later, the sun all the way up in the sky. Sting lies half-awake next to him, blinking wearily, as if in a trance. "What's for breakfast?" he asks groggily.

"It's 1, Sting," Rogue yawns, stretching his arms towards the ceiling.

"Oh...I'm going back to sleep then..." Sting mumbles, rolling over and burying his face into his pillow.

"You can sleep if you'd like, but I meant 1pm." Rogue climbs out of bed, trying to untangle the sheets that were wrapped around his ankle. "I really need to change, I'm all sweaty."

"I want a bath," Sting grumbles, rolling back over to face Rogue.

"After breakfast, maybe?" Rogue smiles, sliding on a pair of slippers.

"Sounds great!" Sting beams, suddenly awake. They loosely join hands, walking so close their shoulders brush against the others, taking in their partner's comforting scent.

Rogue cooks scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast as Sting hugged him from behind, nuzzling his cheek into Rogue's back. They shared breakfast together in their clothes from the day before, sitting on the couch, laughing and nudging at each other's sides in a playful, teasing manner. It was so comforting to just be able to relax and take a day off. All their problems seemed to evaporate into thin air.

As Sting crams his fourth piece of toast into his mouth, he mumbles from around the crunchy buttered surface, "Bath now?"

"Sure," Rogue smiles, taking their plates. "Bubbles?"

"Oh hell yes!" Sting laughs, stealing the plates from Rogue. He winks playfully, "I got it~"

"Thank you," Rogue chuckles, watching as Sting practically dances into the kitchen, setting the plates in the sink. They'd wash them tomorrow.

Rogue starts the water, setting it to a comfortably hot temperature. He pours the bubble bath into the stream of water, watching as it starts to foam on the water's surface. He's about to pull it up when a hand from behind tips it down, dumping the entire bottle into the bathtub.

"Sting!" Rogue exclaims, whirling around to look at his boyfriend. Sting grins cheekily, dressed in only a towel wrapped around his waist. "That's kind of a waste!"

"Nah," Sting laughs, "probably won't get a chance like this again anytime soon. I say go big or go home!"

"We are home," Rogue deadpans, setting the bottle down on the rim of the tub.

"Very funny," Sting chuckles, lightly kissing Rogue's neck. "C'mon, get undressed so we can get in."

"I think that's the first time you've actually told me to strip myself," Rogue chuckles, thinking of the many times Sting had simply tugged off Rogue's clothes without hesitation, his lips sliding across every inch of Rogue's bare skin. But nothing like that was going to happen today: the two of them were extremely exhausted.

"Haha, very funny," Sting laughs as Rogue slides his sweaty shirt off his chest, pulling it over his head.

Rogue can feel Sting's eyes on him, like usual. Rogue chuckles to himself, mumbling under his breath, "Pervert."

They sink into the layer of bubbles together, both sighing in relief as the heat relaxes their tense muscles.

"This is what I needed today," Rogue closes his eyes, leaning against the wall of the tub. "I think I screwed my back and shoulders up from lifting the concrete yesterday."

"That sucks," Sting says sympathetically, kissing Rogue's guild mark. Rogue smiles even wider, eyes opening just slightly.

"C'mere," Sting motions Rogue closer. "I'll wash your back."

"Thanks," Rogue mumbles, turning around so Sting can reach his back. He relaxes under Sting's comforting hands as he massages the kinks out of his sore muscles. "Thank you so much, Sting..."

"Of course," Sting smiles gently, pressing his lips between Rogue's shoulder blades. "You work just as hard as I do...you deserve to relax."

"Switch?" Rogue suggests, and Sting nods, turning around to let Rogue massage his back. He sighs in relief as the aches are released from his back, evaporating under Rogue's touch.

Eventually they turn to face each other once more, foreheads touching together. They kiss slowly, tasting each other's tongues. They break apart after what feels like forever, and Rogue moves his head to Sting's shoulder. He can hear Sting's heartbeat from there, a slow, steady rhythm. Sting hasn't been this relaxed in _ages_.

Sting runs his fingers through Rogue's damp hair, appreciating the way the dark strands frame his neck and face, bringing out his soft jawline. They sat there in silence for a very long time, enjoying the heat and comfort of each other's bodies. The trust they had in each other brought warmth to their hearts, singing a soft love song, playing their heartstrings with gentle, fluid motions.

Sting opens his eyes after about a half hour of sitting in silence, looking at the bubbles starting to dissolve around them. An idea sets off a lightbulb inside his head, causing a grin to spread across his face. "Rogue," he pokes the half-asleep Dragon Slayer, grinning playfully. "Roooogue."

"Mmm...what...?" Rogue hums, not lifting his head.

"Look at me~"

Curiosity fills Rogue's chest, causing him to look at up his boyfriend. Sting has made himself a bubble beard with some of the remaining bubbles, and is working on shaping a weird hairpiece. Rogue snorts aloud, not expecting it at all.

"Dork," he grins fondly. Sting scoops up some more bubbles, pushing them towards Rogue's chin. Rogue lets Sting form the beard on his chin, laughing when Sting tells him he looks very sexy.

They start snorting uncontrollably, bubbles flying everywhere as they start to throw the foamy substance at each other. Sting ends up getting some in his eye, which causes him to throw off his aim, sending a blob of bubbles against the wall.

"Screw cleanup," Sting laughs once the tub has been drained, looking at the soap suds all over the walls, sides of the tub, and tile floor.

"It'll dry and get really gross," Rogue points out.

"I don't care," Sting replies, wrapping a towel around his waist. "I don't feel like doing anything today..." He pauses, eying Rogue's bare body. "Do you want a towel? I honestly don't mind, but I don't think you want me ogling you all day."

"You're quite correct," Rogue flushes slightly. "I'll go get one."

After dressing, the two curl up on the couch together and watch a movie. Rogue is warm, happy, and comfortable. "Mmm...Sting?"

"What?"

Rogue smiles from against Sting's chest. "I love you."

Sting grins, kissing the top of Rogue's head. "I love you too." He runs his fingers through Rogue's hair once more, feeling the dark locks slide smoothly against his skin. "Thanks for comforting me..."

"Of course," Rogue tips his head to look up into Sting's bright blue eyes. "Anytime."

They kiss slowly and passionately, filled with warmth and adoration. They needed nothing but each other to feel safe...and thankfully, they were always there when they needed to be.

Their love was stronger than any magic.


	7. AU: Home

**This doesn't completely fit the prompt, but it eventually ties back into it. I've just wanted to write this AU for ages...I probably won't ever make a full story, but every now and then you might see a oneshot or two in this universe.**

 **Verse: Hogwarts AU**

 **Rating: T for language**

 **Summary: Secret relationships are downright impossible, especially in the magical world.**

 **(Note: Imagine Your OTP prompt and some more information at the bottom.)**

* * *

 **Stingue Week Day 4: Home**

* * *

Sting is more than ready for Christmas. In two days he's leaving to go home for Christmas Break, and bringing a huge group of friends with him. His parents, both workers for Ministry of Magic, were out across the country investigating rumors of 10,000 pixies wreaking havoc in the town of Haregon, which meant that they would not be home for Christmas. He had all break to himself and his friends.

He'd been expecting to simply bid his secret boyfriend, Rogue Cheney of the Hufflepuff house, a tearful goodbye before leaving, but this plan is completely shattered by Sting's friend and fellow Slytherin, Gajeel Redfox.

"Oi, Eucliffe," Gajeel grunts, collapsing onto the green couch next to him. "Not sure if you know 'im, as he's a quiet Hufflepuff, but my cousin Rogue is stuck at Hogwarts for Christmas while all of his friends go home. Ya think he can tag along with me?"

Sting sits bolt upright. He is tempted to agree as quickly as possible, but he knows that would seem too suspicious. So instead he nonchalantly kicks his feet up on the table in front of him and responds coldly, "I guess."

Gajeel grunts again. "Cool. It's late, I'm hittin' the sack. Seeya."

"Bye," Sting yawns. He looks out towards the fire flickering in the hearth, burning without any wood. The Slytherin common room still memorizes him, even after 4 and a half years here at Hogwarts.

He is so excited for Christmas. He just has to make sure he's not too friendly with Rogue... They were going to have to talk about this.

* * *

"I'm going to have to be an asshole."

The snow fell all around the duo, coating the tree branches and piling up on the slanted castle rooves. Rogue pinches the bridge of his scarred nose, looking irritated. "But why? Can't you just _tell_ them?"

"No," Sting snorts, gesturing with his glove covered hand. "Imagine the reputation I would get. The Pureblood Slytherin Seeker dating a Muggleborn Hufflepuff Prefect? Ha! Yeah. _That'd_ go over well."

"Oh, stop it," Rogue sighs. "Does everything have to be about reputation?" He kicks a piece of snow on the ground, more out of habit than anything else. "We're teenagers, Sting, it's a normal thing to be in relationships."

"Yeah, but between a Hufflepuff and Slytherin?!" Sting counters, folding his arms across his chest.

"House shouldn't matter!" Rogue argues back, leaning towards his boyfriend. "This isn't Romeo and Juliet!"

Sting frowns deeply. "What the hell is that?" he responds, sounding almost offended.

"A play! By Shakespeare!" Rogue exclaims, frustratingly tugging at his hair.

"Sounds like a magical item," Sting laughs cheerfully. "Like a fuckin' snowstorm in a bottle."

"Do you mean a snow globe?" Rogue sighs, shifting his yellow and black scarf around his neck.

"Yes!" Sting points at him. "That!"

"Oi, you two!" shouts a teacher from a balcony above. "You shouldn't be outside right now, it's too cold! Go back to your common rooms, please!" She then squints, trying to see better. "Wait a minute, Eucliffe, don't you have History of Magic right now?!"

Sting swallows hard. "No!" he lies.

Rogue elbows him in the ribs. "Get to class," he hisses. "I know that class is horrible, but you really need to be paying attention."

"But Rooooogue," Sting whines, a puff of white mist in front of his lips.

"Stiiiing," Rogue mocks, shoving him through the snow. "C'mon, get to class."

"So rude," Sting smirks. "Am I rubbing off you, Puff?"

Rogue groans. "Go. To. Class."

"Okay, _Mom_." Sting teases, shuffling through the snow towards the castle. Rogue, shaking his head, follows after him. He heads the opposite direction, most likely towards the Hufflepuff common room.

Sting grins after his lover's retreating back. He could not wait until they left together.

* * *

The train finally comes to a stop in the King's Cross Station, Platform 9 ¾. The group, dressed in warm, inconspicuous clothing a well as their respective house scarves, shuffles down the platform. Snow falls all around them as they quickly through the brick wall onto the main platform. Sting resists the temptation to walk alongside the single Hufflepuff boy in the group and instead stays on the opposite side of the sidewalk. He leads everyone into Diagon Alley, then to the shop he usually goes to for Floo Powder Network transport.

"Good afternoon, Sting!" the bespectacled woman behind the counter greets. She quints from behind her frames, leaning over the counter. "Do you not have that dark-ha-"

Realizing she was about to ask about Rogue, Sting quickly jumps in with, "Yeah, all my friends are here. I just need to use your fireplace. Like always."

She bobs her head in a whimsical nod. "Certainly," she grins, showing off a single gold tooth between a row of tainted white teeth.

Sting walks to the back of the dusty shop, pushing open a creaky wooden door. They all approach the sturdy brick fireplace, with Sting in front. He pulls his Floo Powder pouch from his dark green sweater's pocket. He sprinkles some into everyone's hands. Rogue smiles at Sting almost shyly. Natsu sniffs the powder, then sneezes. Gray eyes the powder with distaste. Gajeel closes his hand into a fist around the powder, as if he's trying to conceal it. Rufus looks at the powder as if it were newt's eyes, and Orga grimaces. The others have varying reactions from recognition to complete and total confusion. "I know some of you have never done this before," Sting grins eagerly. "But it's super easy. Drop in the powder, state 'Eucliffe Household' and you'll be off. Don't worry, the fire won't burn you at all."

Sting steps forward into the fireplace, sprinkling the powder as he goes. The others watch with wide eyes, minus the few who had used it before. Sting shouts out clearly, "Eucliffe Household!" and vanishes into a flash of green fire.

"Oh, and be sure to speak clearly," Rogue adds casually as he approaches the fireplace. With a flick of the wrist and a single shout, he disappears into the flames.

The last thing he hears before vanishing is the irritated voice of one of the guys, "How the _fuck_ does a Muggle-born know what to do?"

After a few moments, the living room of Sting's house comes into view. Rogue jumps out of the fireplace, dusting himself off with practiced hands. Sting stands waiting in front of the fireplace, a huge grin spreading across his face. "Welcome back." He plants a quick kiss on Rogue's lips, all the while keeping his ears open for the roar of the fireplace.

Rogue looks around fondly, smiling at the sight of the quaint wizarding house. He'd always loved it here in all it's magic and whimsy. The days he spent here during the summer had been some of the best of his life.

The fireplace erupts green behind them, revealing a coughing Gray Fullbuster of Gryffindor. "F-Fucking hell...how does anyone get used to this?!"

"What does your family use for transportation?" Sting laughs.

"We Apperate!" Gray replies stiffly, folding his arms across his chest.

"Well, yeah, my parents do that too," Sting waves a hand dismissively, "but then you can't go anywhere without 'em cuz they have to take you. My parents are hardly home, so they taught me Floo."

"Once we learn how to Apperate it won't be such a big deal!" Gray snaps hotly.

Just then, an explosion sounds from behind them, revealing Natsu holding his wand out in front of him, his pink hair sticking up in complete disorder.

"What happened to you?!" Gray demands.

"I tried to cast Lumos because the others said it was dark!" Natsu fumes, stepping out of the fireplace.

Sting's eyes go wide. "You tried to cast a spell...in the Floo Network?!"

Rogue bursts out laughing, unable to contain himself. Sting has to look away for a moment in pretend disgust of Natsu's actions to hide the growing blush on his cheeks. Rogue's laugh is beautiful. Sting internally curses himself (an old wizard swear he shouldn't even know) for nearly blowing his cover before half the group even got here. This is going to be harder than he thought.

One by one the rest of Sting's friends come through the fireplace. Rufus complains about ash ruining his clothes for at least 10 minutes until Gajeel angrily snaps at him to shut up.

Finally, everyone is there. Sting beams widely, leading everyone into the kitchen. "I got tons of Hogsmeade candy and mailed it back, so we've got tons! Dig in, everyone!"

They all laugh, dance, and party for the next few hours, enjoying the freedom of no adults. Sting is relieved; so far no other problems with Rogue have surfaced. The Hufflepuff gets along fairly well with Rufus and Natsu, to Sting's surprise and elation.

Unfortunately, unbeknownst to Sting, things fall apart. "I'm going to the bathroom," Sting says, heading out of the room to the only bathroom in their house, leaving the guests in the living room.

Gajeel insults Natsu, telling him that he's the worst Keeper in the world, which infuriates Natsu. Trying to imitate Gajeel, Natsu climbs onto the coffee table. He flails his arms around, eyes closed as he pretends to hit himself in the head with his "beater bat" (which is really his wand). However, in his foolishness, he knocks over Rufus' glass of pumpkin juice, which in turn tips over Gray's butterbeer.

"Oh, COME ON, NATSU!" Gray screeches, lunging for Natsu. "WHY IS IT ALWAYS MINE?! ASSHOLE!"

"Sting!" shouts Rufus, desperately trying to dance away from a steady growing puddle. "Where's the napkins?!"

"He's upstairs, he won't be able to hear you," Rogue says, quickly rushing out of the room. "I'll go get some of that Miracle Clean solution."

The others look at each other. "The bathroom's upstairs?" frowns Orga.

"I didn't know that," Rufus says with surprise, barely heard over Erza's screeching at the two wresting Gryffindors.

"Not only that, how does he know where the Miracle Clean is!?" Gajeel grumbles. "He's my own fuckin' cousin...I don't even know what the hell Miracle Clean is. And I'm in a Pureblood family!"

"There's something fishy here," Minerva states matter-of-factly.

"No shit," a grumpy Gray replies, still glaring at Natsu out of the corner of his eye.

Rogue rushes back into the room, quickly cleans up the mess with the Miracle Clean and a few swishes of his wand. Everyone else watches dumbfounded. How is this Muggle Born out-showing them?!

Sting enters the room right then, eyes going slightly wide at the chaos in the room. "Whoa! What happened here?!"

"Don't worry, Sting, I took care of it," Rogue replies with a soft smile of reassurance.

Sting grins back, "Ha, thanks. Don't know what would've happened otherwise." He leans down to pick up the glasses, clicking his tongue in disapproval. "Parents woulda killed me if I ruined the carpet..."

Everyone just stares at the duo. Sting being...appreciative? And...friendly? To a Muggle Born Hufflepuff?

"Anyways!" Sting says loudly, clapping his hands. "I say we start a game of Exploding Snap, who's with me?!"

The others grudgingly agree, Natsu pulling out a deck of cards. They play for a few minutes, arguing over pretty much everything. Sting pinches the bridge of his nose in annoyance, wanting nothing more than a little quiet.

"E-Excuse me," Rogue suddenly stammers, nudging Sting. Sting had to admit, his boyfriend is a good actor. "Can you show me where the bathroom is?"

"Sure thing," Sting replies, standing up. He stops himself from taking Rogue's hands and helping him to his feet, instead waiting for the Hufflepuff to get up on his own. Sting leads him up the stairs and around the corner.

The second they are out of earshot, Rogue pins Sting against the wall. "They suspect something," he hisses into the Seeker's ear.

Sting lets out an overly dramatic sigh. "Of course they do..."

Rogue frowns. "Well, what are we going to do about it, then?" He sounds exasperated, as if Sting is being extremely irritating.

"Oi," Sting pleads weakly, "don't talk to a Slytherin that way."

"I'm a goddamn Prefect, I can talk to you however I'd like," Rogue snaps back, pressing his forehead against Sting's.

"Naughty little Prefect," Sting smirks, lips parting slightly. "Flirting with an infamous Slytherin."

A low growl emits from the back of Rogue's throat, and within seconds, he is pushing his lips against Sting's. The force behind it almost seems angry, but that only causes Sting to get even more into it. His hands are threading through Rogue's thick, dark hair, pulling his head closer. Rogue groans, tilting his head to side as he studies Sting with half-lidded eyes.

Sting chuckles against Rogue's lips, feeling the others gaze upon him. "Oh~ho~ Eyes open, are they?"

"Shut up," Rogue pants, pressing his lips against Sting's once more, "or I'll get you in detention."

"Ha," Sting laughs breathily as he breaks the kiss and grips onto Rogue's scarf. "You don't scare me, Puff."

Rogue pulls his wand from his pocket, breathing heavily as he aims it at Sting's face. "I will end you-"

Sting cuts him off by capturing his lips once more, so quickly that Rogue is forced to let a shuddering gasp escape his throat. Sting's hand grabs Rogue's wrist, pushing his wand arm down. They melt into each other's lips and bodies for a brief moment, letting themselves be carried away. Tongues dance and their hands move down each other's covered sides, feeling the smooth curves of their muscles from beneath their sweaters.

The kiss breaks once more, both of them flushed and panting. Sting gulps, suddenly seeing Rogue's confident smirk. The Hufflepuff has managed to grab Sting's scarf with one hand and aim his wand straight at Sting's face with the other. Sting couldn't believe that he'd been so foolish to let go of Rogue's wrist, letting the other teen have full control.

"He said it was upstairs, didn't h- Whoa." Natsu stops dead, eyes wide at the sight in front of him. Gray raises a curious eyebrow at the two other boys, wondering what the hell had happened there.

The guilty party has equally shocked expressions, fearfully looking at the two Gryffindors in front of them. "Well," Natsu laughs, "picking on the new kid, already, Sting? Ha! Seems he has some of Gajeel's guts, 'cuz he's got you cornered!"

The duo look at each other in confusion. _What?!_

"C'mon," Gray sighs, "just quit fighting, let's go downstairs."

"That's rather hypocritical of you," Rogue responds smugly, dropping Sting's scarf and sliding his wand back into his pocket.

"HEY!" the other two shout, causing both Sting and Rogue to burst out into laughter. The Gryffindor boys lead the way downstairs, leaving Sting and Rogue to descend the staircase together, fingers brushing against each other.

"I just want you to know," Sting mumbles, "my parents absolutely adore you. You can come over anytime you like. My home is your home."

Rogue smiles fondly. "Even if it means your friends find out about us?"

Sting groans, shoulders slumping. "Yeah. I guess. It's too hard to keep it a secret anyways. You're too cute."

"Shut up!" Rogue exclaims a little too loudly, elbowing Sting in the ribs.

Gray and Natsu frown as Sting shoves past them, holding Rogue's scarf, laughing and shouting over his shoulder, "Catch me if you can, lil' Badger!"

"Why, you-!" Rogue yells after him, also pushing between the other two boys to chase Sting down the stairs. "GIVE IT BACK, YOU ASSHOLE!"

Gray's jaw drops. "HolyshitaHufflepuffjustswore."

Natsu shrugs. "You learn something new every day."

Around the corner and down the stairs, Minerva rolls her eyes. Idiots. Didn't they know a relationship when they saw one?

Oh well. Not everyone is as smart as her, she decides, leaning back against the couch smugly. She'll just wait for the evidence to hit them in the face, and then reap rewards.

Either that, or blackmail.

Yes, that was probably the way to go.

* * *

 **I'm not super happy with the way this turned out but eh...whatever. I got it done.**

 **Prompt:** Imagine that your OTP is in a secret relationship and everybody thinks that they don't get along.

One night they gather with their group of friends at Person A's place, and curiously Person B knows where everything is and acts too casual around the place, how do they react when confronted by their friends about it?

 **Extra Info:** In case of confusion, here's how Gajeel  & Rogue's family works.

Their great-grandparents where both Wizards. They gave birth to a son and a daughter. The daughter was not magical, the son was. The daughter then married a Muggle, and had a Muggle son. This man is Rogue's father. He also married a Muggle, and somehow Rogue was born a Wizard.

Gajeel on the other hand, came from the great-grandparents' son's bloodline, which stayed Pureblood.

Yes, this does mean that they are not _direct_ cousins, but they are related somehow. It's easier to call them cousins.


	8. Canon: Master

**Verse: Canon**

 **Rating: T for language**

 **Summary: Sabertooth's Guild Master arrives fashionably late... _again_. The other Guild Masters decide it's high time for an intervention.**

* * *

 **Stingue Week Day 5: Master**

* * *

The door to the Lamia Scale meeting room swings open, letting in a young man with spikes of blond locks on top of his head. He walks with confidence into a room where he looks as if he shouldn't belong, so young among a room of elders. The table of men and women eye the young man's crop top with apprehension, just like they always do, and yet one could still feel that they held at least a little bit of respect for him. Being a Guild Master is hard work, especially for someone so young and inexperienced.

He moves across the room, appearing to be gliding as he takes the seat in front of the Sabertooth symbol at the table. He causally crosses his legs under the table, folds his gloved arms, and leans back slightly in his chair. "Sorry I'm late," he says with a slight smirk, as being late always got him attention. Unfortunately for him, it was negative attention.

"Mr. Eucliffe, can you please start taking these events more seriously?" the elder Magic Council representative scowls. "You've been late for the past eleven meetings, you sit most informally, and your dress sense..."

Sting frowns deeply, leaning forward again. The chair hits the ground with a loud thunk. "What's wrong with my clothes?! Aren't I aloud to wear whatever the hell I want?!"

"And _ **language**_!" scolds the Council Rep, leaning forward in his seat at the foot of the table.

"General Casper, Sting is a Guild Master just like the rest of us," speaks up the Guild Master of a smaller guild by the name of Wasp Nest. "He has the right to wear what he pleases."

"Youngsters these days have very different fashion sense," grumbles Goldmine, grudgingly agreeing with the Wasp Nest Master.

"Fine, but that doesn't excuse him being thirty minutes to two hours late to every meeting," General Casper points out.

Sting swallows nervously, shifting in his seat. "I-I...it's been that late?"

"The meeting started at 1pm, kid," sighs Goldmine. "And it's 2:45."

Sting swears under his breath, sweat collecting on his brow. "I'm so sorry," he manages out. "I've been freakishly busy...and there's a member of my guild with extreme anxiety and paranoia, and I have to make sure they're comfortable before I leave."

Murmurs circulate around the table. As Guild Master, you were not only the leader of your guild in paperwork and power, but you were also responsible for being the "parent", so to speak. Everyone understood where Sting is coming from, as guilds are very often places where damaged people go to find a safe home.

"That's understandable," Mermaid Heel's Master says softly.

"Yes, but does that really require two hours every single time?" frowns another Guild Master.

Sting gulps nervously, leaning back so his back is level with the chair. "Uh, well, they've got it pretty bad...they have trouble sleeping at night, you see..."

Eyebrows raise all around the group. "And you know that how...?" asks another woman.

Sting's expression shifts, eyes going wide with panic. "Uh...th-they tell me, as they're always extremely tired..." Sting knows he's been caught redhanded, but he tries to defend his pride as well as the unnamed person's.

"We can talk about this at our next meeting," General Casper finally says. "If Eucliffe doesn't arrive late, that is."

"I say we spin 'im!" Oobaba shouts fiercely.

"We need to move on," Mermaid Heel's Master cuts in. "What are we going to do about the decrease in S-Class requests? Make S-Class rankings more strict? Contact more clients? More advertising?"

The meeting drags on for five hours, filled with debate that eventually turns into a full-blown argument. Sting has a headache, having been up all night comforting his crying partner when he awoke from a hellish nightmare. He tries to put in his input, but for the most part is ignored. Not that it mattered in the long run, as his side had much more votes anyways.

As the sun sets, the meeting is finally adjoined. Sting is first out of his seat, wanting nothing more than to go home and cuddle up on the couch with some hot chocolate and a fuzzy blanket. He picks up his files embellished with the Saber guild mark, humming to himself as he exits the room. On his way downstairs, a voice calls out to him. "Sting."

Sting whirls around to face the shorter man, trying not to act like he'd startled him. "Oh, hi Makarov."

Makarov chuckles. "You're sure off in a hurry." Sting laughs nervously, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. Makarov sighs. "You know Sting...you remind me of my grandson. You definitely have the same caught expression."

Sting swallows, feigning innocence. "C-Caught?!" He laughs again, trying to break the awkwardness, but only making it worse.

Makarov chuckles. "Do you really think that I don't know why you're always late? As I said, I have a grandson. He has a secret much like your own, if not identical. Of course, this is mostly assumption."

Sting's expression changes from tense to puzzled. "Are you talking about Laxus and Freed?"

Makarov nods knowingly. "Yes, I am. If you're going to try to keep a relationship a secret, you have to make a better effort at keeping it hidden."

Sting laughs good-naturedly, tipping his head to the side. "Haha, bet you can't guess who _my_ significant other is."

Now it's Makarov's turn to chuckle. "Besides these meetings I never see you without him."

Sting's cheeks flush. "U-Uh...I suppose you got me there..."

By this time they've reached the door exiting the guild. Sting smiles at Makarov, sliding his hands into his pockets. "I'll see you next time. Bye."

"Goodbye, Sting," Makarov replies, but nearly runs right into the younger man on the way out.

"O-Oi, Rogue, what are you doing here?" Sting stammers out nervously.

The Shadow Dragon is leaning against the side of the building, arms crossed over his chest as he looks at Sting with slight interest. "You forgot this," he says monotonously, expression blank as he passes a slip of paper to Sting.

"You came all the way out here to-" Sting stops himself short, frowning at the paper in his hand. "Uh, I don't need last week's shopping list?"

Rogue's mask shatters. "I know that, dumbass!" he shouts, stepping away from the wall. He gestures dramatically towards Makarov, irritation covering his features. "I needed an excuse to come pick you up, you idiot!"

Makarov chuckles slightly as the two begin bickering back an forth. _Typical._ Reminded him of another duo back at his own guild...

"Hey, how was I supposed to know that?!" Sting exclaims, leaning close to the other Dragon Slayer. "You just stroll right up to me and shove a goddamn shopping list in my face, that doesn't tell me anything!"

"For the record, I WAS LEANING AGAINST A WALL!" Rogue snaps back, shoving Sting back ever-so-slightly.

"Don't touch me!" Sting yelps, shoving Rogue back as well.

"Since when has _ **that**_ been a rule?!" Rogue laughs teasingly, smirking at his partner. His mood had just done a full 360.

Sting throws his hands in the air in exasperation. "Great, now _all of Fairy Tail_ is gonna think I'm a pervert!"

"You _**are**_ a pervert!" Rogue fires back, cheeks flushed.

A low growl escapes Sting's throat as he steps forwards towards Rogue once more, blue eyes narrowed into slits. "Oh, _now_ you've crossed the line!"

Makarov sighs as the spring forward, angrily kissing the hell out of each other right in front of the rest of the guild masters that have gathered in the doorway.

So it wasn't just his guild... No one _**ever**_ seemed to listen to him.

* * *

 **Again, I feel this could've been so much better but eh...oh well.**


	9. Canon: Black

**Yes, I am well aware this is out of order...I'm so sorry ;-; Past will be up as soon as possible.**

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 **Verse: Canon**

 **Rating: T for language, blood, and violence**

 **Summary: If only he could see his face one last time.**

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 **Stingue Week Day 7: Black**

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Sting really hated Guild Master meetings.

They were boring, he constantly got disrespect from the older masters for various reasons (too young, being gay, etc.), and his opinions were usually not welcomed/ignored.

But that wasn't even the main reason he hated them. No, it was the fact that they always took place away from home, anywhere from 2 to 8 hours away from his guild. He hated having to leave the guild in the others' hands. Leaving it with Rogue made him feel extremely guilty, as Rogue had enough stress in his life and Sting always felt horrible putting more upon him. But leaving it with Minerva or Rufus meant that they both would take it too seriously and order everyone around 24/7. They tended to get frustrated with everyone extremely quickly, and that mad everyone else just as upset. That left the rest of the guild, but no one else had the necessary amount of responsibility to take on a job that large.

But Sting also hated just leaving in general. Having to pack his things and bid goodbye to everyone, knowing that he wouldn't see them for a long while. Whether it was for 3 days or a month, it sickened him to see them upset. Because yes, they were always sad to see him go. He kept the morale up within everyone, and was always the one to go to if you were upset. Hell, Rogue almost always cried when Sting left at the idea of having to sleep alone with his nightmares. Communication lacrima were not aloud during most meetings, which meant that Sting had no way to get in touch with his partner while he was gone.

Who was he kidding...? He has been in love with Rogue for such a long time now, and just never had the courage to say something. Leaving him behind like that tore Sting's heart into pieces.

Awful things always seemed to happen when Sting left. Sometimes it was small, like a fight between two members or a wild party. However, sometimes, all hell broke loose.

This was one of those times.

Sting had been gone for two weeks, and has just now arrived back home. He heads to his guild, shifting the small bag on his shoulder that held all his new paperwork. He reaches the door, happiness swelling inside of his chest. He got to see his family again. _He got to see Rogue._

Suddenly excited, Sting shoves the door open and calls out happily, "I'm home~!"

This happy mood instantly deflates. The guild hall is dark, all the lights turned out. Now, normally Sting would think this was a prank or surprise of some sort, but his nose picks up darkness and blood. Bile rises in his throat. What has happened while he was gone?

Heart racing, he summons a tiny bit of light in his hands. The white orb glows with warmth and comfort, a little pinprick of hope in the darkness. A gasp escapes his lips at the horrible sight in front of him.

Most of the guild isn't present, but the twenty or so who is there all lie on the floor, covered in blood and bruises. They all appear to be breathing, even if it is in short, ragged bursts.

Yukino is closest, so Sting instantly rushes to her side and falls to his knees. "Yukino!" he cries, cradling her limp body in his arms. "Fucking hell, are you alright?! What happened?"

She opens a single brown eye, coughing up a bit of blood. "St-Sting-sama..." she stammers weakly. "Th-Thank...goodness...you're...h-here..." She coughs again, crimson painting her cracked lips. "R-Rogue-sama...he...he.."

Sting's eyes widen as he holds her closer. "F-Fuck..." he hisses, tears dropping from his eyes. "Yukino, what happened to him?! Did whoever hurt you hurt him too?!"

Yukino shakes her head slightly, tears sliding down bruised cheeks. "N-No...he..." She shudders painfully, eyes briefly closing again. "He...did this..."

Sting's blood turns cold, eyes widening in shock. "No..." he whispers, sweat sliding down the sides of his face. "No...nononono..." He gently sets his friend down, shaking from head to toe. "Where-?"

"Office," Yukino's voice cracks as she speaks, more blood falling from her lips.

"Thank you," Sting whispers, a single tear sliding down his cheek. "Rest now...I'll be back...don't worry..." He looks towards his office door, noticing the darkness seeping out underneath the frame. "I'm going to protect you and the rest of my family...and I'm going to bring back the man I love."

Yukino smiles knowingly as Sting strides towards the door. "I believe in you, Sting-sama..." she mutters. "Please...come back alive...with Rogue-sama..."

Light still in his hands, Sting slowly pushes the door open. He's shaking from head to toe, fearful of what he may find. "Rogue?" he says softly, calling out into the darkness.

A shadowy figure turns around to face Sting. Sting's breath hitches uncomfortably in his throat. A sharp pain floods through his heart. Rogue is covered in blood from head to toe, most likely not his own, staining his tattered clothes. Black lines cover his face, on his cheekbones, around glowing crimson eyes. Dark energy seeps out of his battered form, dripping off of him and onto the floor.

"Sting Eucliffe," chuckles a voice that is definitely not Rogue's, with an echo that sends shivers down Sting's spine. "So you finally return home... Too bad you're too late." He smirks, showing fanged teeth. Sting is rooted in place in the doorway, unable to move in fear and shock. Rogue steps towards him, hand brushing against the sleek wood of Sting's desk. "Luckily for me, I was able to gain control of the place before you came back."

He laughs slightly, boots clicking against the floor as he approaches Sting. He grips the White Dragon's chin in his hand, tilting Sting's head up to meet his eyes. He clicks his tongue in disapproval. "So weak and foolish..." He pauses for effect, leaning so close Sting can feel the other man's hot breath on his skin. "My, my...and to think he loved you."

Sting lets out a loud gasp, followed by a shaky breath of surprise. Rogue...loved him? His fears of rejection and shattering their friendship were all for naught? A single tear joins the first that had fallen earlier, breathing quickening. Sting's lip shifts quivers as more tears fall from his dark blue eyes. "He...he actually..."

Suddenly, anger boils inside of his stomach. He clenches a single hand into a fist, trying to hold back his own shaking. This fucking shadow had the nerve to push Rogue into darkness and then taunt Sting about it? No way was Sting going to stand there and take it.

But then Rogue—no, the Shadow—traces a single finger over Sting's unsteady lip, a smirk still spread across his face. "Poor thing," he taunts, stopping his finger at the corner of Sting's mouth. "You'll never be loved again, you know. You won't live long enough, that is. Either I will kill you, or you'll kill yourself. You won't want to live without your precious little Rogue, will you?"

Fear mixes with rage inside of Sting's heart, boiling hot inside of him. "Sh-Shut up!" he screams, closing his eyes and turning his head away. He slaps the Shadow's hand away from his face, shaking uncontrollably. "And don't you dare touch me like that!"

"Why not?" the Shadow whispers in Sting's ear. "Isn't this what you want...for him to love you?"

Sting's eyes snap open, a dark blue fire burning his irises. "I don't know what kind of sick game you're playing, you filthy creature, but I do _not_ love _you_ , I love _Rogue_ , and you are not him. You'll never be, no matter what you do. You can try to convince me of it, but you won't."

The Shadow laughs out loud. "Oh, please! Be Rouge?! Why would I want to be someone so weak and useless?!"

That was the final nail in the coffin for Sting. A scream of fury escapes his lips as he slams a fist of white light into the Shadow's stomach, knocking him to the ground. "ROGUE IS **_NOT_** USESLESS!"

Panting and sweating, Sting lowers his arm, waiting for the darkness to diminish so he can see. His eyes widen once more in shock when the Shadow's form on the ground starts laughing even harder than before, loud and mocking. "You do realize that by hurting me, you're hurting him too, right?!"

Sting stops cold. As much as he hated to say it, the Shadow is right. He is indeed in Rogue's body, and one wrong move could kill him. Sting falls to his knees before the Shadow's limp form, trembling violently.

 _"_ _Sting..."_ A voice whispers to Sting, coming back from his memories. _"Promise that if I ever fall into darknes...you'll kill me."_

Another tear slides down Sting's cheek, dropping off his skin and onto his curled up fist.

 _"_ _No fucking way, Rogue! I could never-!"_

 _"_ _You don't understand, Sting...it's either kill or be killed..."_

 _"_ _No...there has to be another way!"_

 _"_ _Well...there is...but you'll have to sacrifice something in order to do it...and I don't want you to do that...and who knows what that would be..."_

 _"_ _I don't care...I'll do_ _ **anything**_ _for you, Rogue...and I mean it...with all my heart."_

Snapping out of his own head, Sting slowly makes his way to his feet. "Oho, so you have some fight left in you after all," chuckles the Shadow, who is now also standing.

"I'm going to keep my promise." Sting's voice is low and steady, much to the shock of the Shadow. "And I'm going to destroy you...I don't care if I have to give my own life...I'm going to save the one I love..."

"How cliché," sighs the Shadow. "You can try, I suppose. But I doubt you'll get anywhere without killing m-"

His sentence is cut off by Sting releasing a blast of light at the Shadow, hitting it's mark easily. The Shadow staggers back, then stops in place.

"What the hell-?" the Shadow exclaims angrily.

Sting smiles confidently, seeing the stigma forming on Rogue's chest. "Ha," he says softly. "You know, if you really were Rogue, you would've seen that coming and dodged it. But you're not. You don't know me, despite the fact you've been living with Rogue this whole time..."

Sting walks up to him, tears glittering in his eyes. "It's the end of the line for you..." He leans forward, cupping Rogue's face in his hands. "This is going to be the last time I see your face, Rogue," he whispers. "I'm going to have to give my everything...I'm so sorry...I love you so much...darkness and all..."

Light appears in his hands, lighting up Rogue's features. "Goodbye," Sting whispers, smiling gently through his tears. "It's been wonderful...all those times we spent...I'll miss them."

And then...everything went black.

* * *

Sting feels a hand take his, warm and comforting. He shifts underneath something soft and warm, feeling it with his free hand and discovering it's a blanket. He slowly opens his eyes, expecting to either see heaven or hell, but finds only black.

"Sting!" an excited voice exclaims in his ear. "Oh my god, I thought you were dead!" Sting turns his head towards the voice, still unable to see a thing.

"Rogue?" he frowns, reaching towards the voice with his free hand again. "I can't see you..."

He hears a sharp gasp come from beside them as the hand that had been so tenderly held is dropped. The same warm fingers brush against his cheek, touching him so gently that it makes him shiver. "Y-Your eyes..."

Sting blinks again, trying to see. "What about them?"

"They're..." Rogue's voice is shaking, as if he's crying. "They're all...white..." Soft lips brush against Sting's forward, followed by something wet hitting his cheek.

"I'm...blind..." Sting whispers, reaching forward to try to find Rogue's face. "I'm alive...b-but I can never s-see you again..."

Rogue's hand gently moves Sting's to Rogue's cheek, helping him cup it tenderly. Wet tears slide over Sting's fingers. "Oh, Sting..." Rogue's voice is so weak and frail. "Y-You did s-save me, you know... My shadow...it's gone..."

Sting tries to sit up, but in his blindness he hits his head on the headboard of the bed. At least, that's what he thinks it is. Hissing in pain, he manages out, "R-Really?! It's gone?! It's completely gone?!"

"Yes," Sting can hear the smile on Rogue's face through his tone of voice. "Yes, Sting."

"I did it," Sting breathes in disbelief, feeling a grin spread across his lips. "Oh my god, Rogue, I did it! I actually did it!" Laughing in joy, he reaches outwards, trying to hug Rogue. He hears the sound of the bed creaking as Rogue joins him on the mattress, slowly taking his blind partner into his arms.

"Th-Thank you..." Rogue whispers, gripping onto Sting's shirt with all his might. "I love you, Sting...I-I'm sorry...that you had to do this to yourself...f-for my sake...I don't deserve you...b-but...I can't...help but to be...so thankful..."

Sting feels tears coat his own cheeks as he grips Rogue just as tightly. "Don't apologize," he smiles. "I did this because I wanted to...not because I had to...I wanted to save you...because I love you too..."

Rogue sniffs, burying his face into Sting's chest. Sting holds Rogue's shaking body slightly awkwardly, trying desperately to see through the black.

But there's nothing.

Oh, if only he could see Rogue's face again. The way he smiles, so bright and beautiful. The way his eyes shimmer like gemstones, rubies behind his lashes. The way he looks when he laughs, tilting his head back as his lips part in a toothy grin. The way he walks, trying to be not noticeable, but instead looking relaxed as he smoothly strides across the room. The way his slim figure is hidden underneath too many layers of clothes or a flowing cape. The way he pinches the bridge of his scarred nose when annoyed or frustrated.

There was too much that Sting would never see again. Suddenly pain floods through his chest and he's sobbing just as much as Rogue is, cursing the world for the way they've been treated throughout their short lives. So young...so broken.

Lost in the black.

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 **I kinda wish I wrote more of this...but I'm so busy trying to put Past together and brainstorm for Costume that I just...didn't. I hope you enjoyed nonetheless.**


	10. AU in Canon: Past

**Sorry this is late~ I hope it's worth the wait.**

 **Verse: Canon Verse, but diverges from original plot. So kinda an AU.**

 **Rating: T for language and violence**

 **Summary: Sting could hardly breathe... It was Rogue, alright...but it wasn't his Rogue.**

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 **Stingue Week Day 6: Past**

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Sting hadn't been this terrified in his life.

His magic, his Dragon Slayer Magic, is failing him in the one situation he needs it the most. It's one purpose, to slay dragons, isn't working. His attacks are useless against the towering dragon by the name of Scissor Runner. It brushed off every blow as if it were nothing more than a gust of wind, a droplet of water against sleek scales. He is helpless, weak, useless.

This is supposed to be easy. This is supposed to be his destiny. He was born for this very day. Here, his magic should shine.

But it didn't.

Sweat glazes his forehead, slick on his rough skin. His hands are bruised underneath the dark blue fabric of his gloves, the insane amount of fighting he's done in the recent few days catching up to him. Blood seeps through deep cuts in his chest and back, crimson staining his vest. Guilt and worry sinks into his heart; who knows how Rogue is doing. Is he just as helpless as Sting?

Sting swears under his breath, wiping blood from his face. He needs to go find Rogue as soon as possible. Scissor Runner is laughing and taunting him, and Sting can't help but to be angry. He's so frustrated, upset, and in pain. This fight is not what he wanted. He wanted to just go find Natsu and spar with him. He wanted to laugh and smile with his friends...the way he'd never gotten to in the past.

Sting takes off running, the dragon pouncing after him. Sweat falls from Sting's bangs, dripping to the ground. His breathing is unsteady, coming out of his lungs in sharp, short bursts. He follows his nose, hunting for Rogue's scent in the sea of blood and ash. Catching it, he takes off in the other direction than he'd originally been heading, his teeth sinking into his lip, holding back the pain from the wounds in his flesh. Just...a little...further...

He finally rounds the corner, screaming Rogue's name. His partner looks up at him, red eyes wide. His lips part in an attempt to say Sting's name, but before Sting can reach a distance close enough to hear him, the building crumbles in front of him.

"Rogue!" he screams again, pounding on the rubble in front of him. "ROGUE! LISTEN TO ME! YOU'RE GOING TO BE OKAY, JUST KEEP FIGHTING!" He grips onto the rubble, trying to create a gap big enough for him to fit through. "I'M HERE, I PROMISE! KEEP FIGHTING, I'LL BE THERE SOON! HANG IN THERE!" Tears of frustration fill his eyes. He can hear the dragon approaching behind him, laughing at the Twjn Dragons' misfortune.

A dark shadow looms above Sting. His head whips up, expecting it to be Scissor Runner. Instead, the large dragon known as Motherglare is above him. The cold of black and white dance with the heat of red and orange, flashing like fireworks on Motherglare's back.

Sting watches in horror as Natsu's opponent gains the upper hand. The Fire Dragon Slayer falls from the sky to the ground, right near Sting. A bloody wound is covered by a blue cloak, crimson seeping through the fabric.

"Natsu-san!" Sting cries, rushing towards his fallen friend. He falls to his knees beside Natsu's battered form. Behind him, Scissor Runner's laughter only grows closer.

Natsu looks up at Sting, coughing as blood surfaces on his lips. "I'll be fine..." His eyes widen when Motherglare suddenly starts to circle and slowly descend. "Shit!" Natsu grabs Sting's shoulder, using it to pull himself to his feet. "Sting, you need to get out of here, that man, he's-"

But before Natsu could finish his sentence, Scissor Runner attacks. Together the two Dragon Slayers leap to the side, barely dodging the attack.

Natsu's eyes widen in terror, Motherglare dangerously close now. "No, no, no!" he hisses. "Not down here, not with Sting, he'll try to-"

"LOOK OUT!" Sting screams, leaping towards Natsu. He knocks Natsu to ground, the magic sent by Scissor Runner flying right over their heads.

A figure with a large cape drops down beside them, standing above them confidently. "Well, well, Natsu Dragneel, it seems I've got you where I-"

His voice suddenly stops short. Sting untangles himself from Natsu, dusting himself off. "Fucking hell I-"

Scissor Runner prepares to attack again when the tall figure suddenly shouts, "NO, SCISSOR RUNNER! HOLD YOUR FIRE!"

Sting blinks, now facing the man in front of him. Natsu mumbles something from the ground, too quiet to be heard. Sting's eyes widen. The man's red eyes are just as wide, sweat sliding down the side of his face. His hair is both black and white, pulled into a long ponytail. Sting could hardly breathe... It was Rogue, all right...but it wasn't _his_ Rogue.

Everything is wrong. Rogue's scent is off, stained with darkness. His eyes are strained; as if he's seen things that haunt him even know.

To Sting's shock, Rogue's lip trembles violently, haunted crimson eyes filling with tears. "St-Sting..." he whispers, his voice cracked and broken.

Sting takes a step closer to him, concern flooding across his features. "Rogue?"

"Y-You're...alive..." Tears slide down Rogue's cheeks, pooling at the jawline of his face.

"Yeah..." Sting says softly. "I'm here...it's okay..." Sting is so confused. He had no idea how this happened, or why Rogue is crying in front of him, asking if he's alive.

"Sting!" Natsu coughs, getting up from the ground. "He's evil! Don't listen to anything he says! He killed Future Lucy!"

Sting turns to glare at Natsu, lips curled into a small sneer. "No," he snaps, stepping closer to Rogue. "He's crying, Natsu! Do you really think I can let him stand there and cry?! It's Rogue, I know it is!"

"No, Sting!" Natsu shouts. "That is not Rogue anymore! He's evil, trust me! He has your magic! He kills you in his timeline!"

Sting's eyes widen again, fear coursing through his veins. He turns back to Rogue, this Rogue from the future, body trembling as he asks, "Is it true?"

Future Rogue falls to his knees, sobbing uncontrollably as he buries his face into his hands. "I'm so sorry!" he sobs. "I'm so sorry!" He quickly turns hysterical, entire body shaking violently. Sting is back on his knees, embracing Future Rogue's form in his arms.

"Shhh..." he whispers soothingly. "I'm here now...I'm with you..." He slowly runs his fingers through the tangled white hair of Future Rogue's ponytail, trying to calm him down. He looks over his shoulder at Natsu. "Oi. Natsu-san. There's still a dragon over there...do you think you can hold him off for a bit while I calm Rogue down?"

Natsu folds his arms across his chest. "No!" he snaps. "I won't let you treat that monster like he's a victim! He's not! It's all a trick!" Natsu looks outwards through the city, towards where the gate should be. "I'm going to destroy that gate and send him back to where he belongs!"

"NO!" Sting screams, pulling Future Rogue closer. "I WON'T LET YOU, NATSU-SAN! HE'S OBIVOUSLY HURT!"

"HOW CAN YOU KNOW?!" Natsu roars. "AND WHY SHOULD I LISTEN TO YOU, STING?! YOU WERE MY ENEMY A FEW DAYS AGO!"

Sting stops cold. Natsu is right...there were enemies only a few days ago... "All the more reason for you to stay out of this," Sting replies coldly, his gaze cold as ice. "Leave me to deal with Rogue."

Natsu's eyes narrow in anger. "What, you think I'm lying about Future Lucy dying, Sting?! I can't lose her, you hear me! She's important to me, and I don't want her future to be that way!"

"THAT'S HOW I FEEL ABOUT ROGUE!" Sting fires back, tears coating his face. Natsu freezes up. "You're acting like I'm incapable of emotions! Jiemma is not here to hold me back anymore! I will release all the feelings I have _right now_ in telling you that Rogue means so fucking much to me and if you try to stop me from saving him I will not hesitate to fight back!"

Natsu's eyes glaze over with fire. "Okay," he spits. "Fine. That means that you won't stop me from burning that goddamn gate to the ground." With that, he takes off towards the gate.

"Sting..." Future Rogue coughs. "D-Don't let him d-do it...I c-can't...lose you...again..."

"Fuuuck..." Sting hisses, head whipping towards the side. "Don't worry, I won't let you-"

"STING!" screams a familiar voice. "STING! WHERE ARE YOU?! ARE YOU OKAY?!"

Sting's blood turns cold. It was Rogue... _his_ Rogue. And suddenly, he was faced with a horrible decision. There couldn't be two Rogues, could there? No...one of them had to die... And as Sting looks at the sobbing, tainted man in his arms, years ahead of Sting, and hears the screaming of the Rogue he knew and cared for on the other side of the rubble wall, Sting knew what he had to do.

"It's too late..." he whispers to Future Rogue. "Natsu-san...is way stronger than me..." He gently brushes Future Rogue's bangs to the side. Sting can't help but to let a gasp escape his lips at the sight of Future Rogue's scarred eye. "H-How?"

Future Rogue is sobbing harder now. "I...was weak..." he chokes out. "W-We were fighting the dragons..."

"STING!"

Sting curses under his breath. "ROGUE!" he screams back. "STAY THERE, DON'T WORRY, I'M TRYING TO GET THROUGH!" He hated lying, but in this case, it was necessary. If his Rogue found out about this dark future...it would tear him apart. "Go on," he says softly to Future Rogue, slowly lying him down on the ground while still holding him in one arm.

"And I...I got h-hit..." Future Rogue gasps out. "M-My eye...it was streaming...b-blood...and I couldn't s-see..." He looks straight up into Sting's bright blue eyes, self-loathing evident in his expression. "I was weak...and I let it all happen... Another blow came soon after...and it would've killed me...b-but you jumped in front...and you...you died in my arms..."

Sting can hardly breathe. How could Natsu think that Rogue was a monster? Had he _really_ killed a version of Lucy?

"You t-told me...that I had to live...and you g-gave me...your magic to m-make me strong enough to live...b-but my own magic was so strong...and I f-fell into darkness...and I vowed that I'd somehow s-see you again...and that when I did...I would t-tell you...that I'm sorry for k-killing you..."

"You didn't kill me," Sting whispers, tears sliding down his cheeks. "I died _for_ you...there's a difference...it was my choice, not yours..."

"But...it happened b-because...I w-was weak..." Future Rogue chokes out. He reaches upwards, hand cupping Sting's cheek. "Y-You know...the dragons were supposed to come through on their own...I had nothing to do with it...d-do you know why I decided to bring them through...?"

Sting shakes his head, not understanding. What intentions could Rogue possibly have?

"I learned Dragon Manipulation Magic...to control the dragons...t-to stop them from k-killing you..."

Sting's eyes go wide. "Y-You...You did...what?!"

Future Rogue nods, trying to smile, but failing. "Y-Yeah..." he coughs. "I w-wanted to not only s-see you again...b-but I wanted to s-save you..."

Sting shakes his head in disbelief. "Idiot," he whispers, placing his hand over Future Rogue's. "I can't believe you'd do something as crazy as that..."

"D-Don't lie and say you wouldn't...do it for me..."

Sting stops at that, shocked. Was he...? "Well..." he says gently. "I'd certainly try to save you if something happened to you...but I doubt I'd go as extreme as putting all my old friends in danger..."

"I know..." Future Rogue whispers. "You're a better person than I ever could be..."

Sting feels another tear slide down his cheek. "Don't beat yourself up..." Behind them, a loud explosion interrupts the mood. Sting can feel the heat of fire from where he sat, and it ached inside his chest.

"That was the gate, wasn't it?" Future Rogue coughs. Sting watches in horror as the older man's body begins to glow gold. But to his shock, Future Rogue simply laughs. "Good..." He closes his eyes, breathing in deeply. "A moment ago...I didn't want to lose you...then I realized...I still have you...or more like...you still have me..."

His eyes snap open as he tightens his grip on Sting's cheek. "Promise me this," he says firmly. "Promise me that you'll protect your version of me...the real me. Keep him from slipping into darkness...and tell him what he means to you...don't ever let him think down on himself like I do..."

Fully sobbing now, Sting cries out, "Yes! Of course! I'll stay by his side and I'll keep him safe! Because I can't save you now, I'll save you in your past!"

Finally, a true smile spreads across Future Rogue's lips. "Good..." His hand falls from Sting's face, limp at his side. He looks up at the darkened sky, tears starting to slow their falling. "There was something I never got to tell you, Sting..."

"What's that?" Sting sniffs, furiously trying to wipe away his tears with his free hand.

Future Rogue moves his gaze back towards Sting, the sad smile only growing. "I loved you," he says softly. "And I would say that I still love you know...but...I doubt anything I feel anymore is real...not when I'm so tainted and broken..."

Sting's heart breaks in his chest. He leans down towards Future Rogue, trying to hold back more tears. "Oh, Rogue..." he sobs. "I...I hate to say this but...I can't...return your feelings...I don't know how I feel about...you...no...about him..." He looks away, tears sparkling in his eyes. "I'm sorry..." His voice is shaking. "B-But I can't love you...if I did love anyone...it would be... _my_ Rogue...but even then...I don't understand...how I feel..."

Future Rogue lets out a small puff of air, a mix between a sob and a laugh. "I know, Sting...I know...if you're going to love someone...love my past...love who I really am...don't love the shadow on the wall..."

"You're still Rogue," Sting says fiercely. "I don't care if you don't think so, or if Natsu-san doesn't think so...but I can see the good in your eye...shining deep inside...you have a heart somewhere, Rogue..." He leans down, without any second thoughts or doubts, and gently presses his lips against Rogue's forehead.

"Don't worry..." he whispers soothingly. "I'll be here the whole time..." He takes Future Rogue's hand in his, gently rubbing his thumb over Future Rogue's knuckles. "And really...if you'd like me to say it...then I will..."

"Say what?" Future Rogue laughs. "That you love me? Oh no, I don't deserve to hear that. I've killed people, Sting. And I don't mean you...I mean others. Innocent people...I was so blind, driven by grief, that I killed people who didn't deserve it... And so...the only thing I should hear is that I'm dying...because I know I am...and I'm glad...I'll finally get to be with you...even though I really don't deserve it...I am selfish..."

"Love isn't selfish..." Sting grins through his tears. "You can't control it..." He holds back another sob as the golden light only glows brighter.

"It's time..." Future Rogue says softly. "Sting...one more thing...please protect Frosch too...won't you?"

"Of course," Sting replies, squeezing his hand. "I won't let anything happen to either Rogue or Frosch... I promise..."

"Goodbye, Sting," Future Rogue breathes shakily.

"Goodbye, Rogue..." Sting responds with a watery smile. "Don't worry...you'll see me again soon..."

Future Rogue closes his eyes, lips parting as he breathes out, "Yeah...I'll...be...with...you...again..."

With those final words, Future Rogue's body lifts into the air, sparking and glowing with blinding light. Sting can't help but to scream and sob, watching as his broken partner from the future fades into nothing. Tears blur his vision, so much so that when the rubble wall explodes around him, he doesn't see the caped figure rush towards him and take him into his arms.

Sting buries his face into Rogue's shoulder and sobs violently as Rogue rubs circles on his back. He didn't understand why his partner was crying, but he said nothing, simply letting Sting let out all of the pain inside.

It was what he needed, after all.

* * *

Future Rogue's eyes open to a blue sky.

He frowns, wondering where the hell he could possibly be. What is this place, so bright and welcoming? The golden grass underneath him is soft, like a blanket.

"What is this place?" he whispers. His eyes widen when he realizes his voice isn't dark with echoes like it used to be. Instead, it's light and soft, just like his voice from before. His hand snakes up to his eye, gasping out loud when he feels a second eyelid brush against his palm. "But...how?"

He takes a hesitant step forward, finding that no white ponytail fell behind him. His hair is shorter again, and all black, just the way it was in the past. He keeps walking, confused and in awe of the beauty around him.

A blinding white light hits his eyes, so bright he can hardly see. He turns away, shielding his eyes, only to freeze in place when a bright, cheerful voice calls out, "Hey! Rogue!"

Future Rogue slowly lifts his head towards the light, jaw dropping as the familiar silhouette of a spiky haired man comes into view. "Why do ya look so surprised? Get over here, idiot!"

Tears glitter on Future Rogue's cheeks as he steps towards Future Sting, reaching out with a single hand. "St-Sting..."

"That's it," Future Sting grins, his face coming into view. He takes Future Rogue's outstretched hand in his, eyes shining. "Guess what?"

"Wh-What?" Future Rogue stammers.

"I love you, you dork," Sting laughs. "And guess what else? We're gonna be together forever in this beautiful place. How's that sound?"

"You..." Future Rogue can hardly breathe. "It sounds...I...this is a dream..."

"Nope, no dream," Future Sting beams, taking Future Rogue's other hand as well. "This is all real. You're real, I'm real, our love is real. No more pain, eh?"

Future Rogue breaks down right then, sobbing as he falls forward into Future Sting's arms. "Thank you, world!" he wails. "I'm sorry for everything I've done! Th-Thank you for g-giving me Sting back!"

"Silly," Future Sting teases, running his fingers through Future Rogue's hair. "I've always been with you..." He slides a hand down to Future Rogue's chest, stopping right over his heart. "I've always been in your heart."

Future Rogue smiles against Future Sting's chest, filled with overwhelming joy. "I love you."

"I know you do," Future Sting laughs. "And I love you. And I'm never going to leave you."

Future Rogue lifts his head to look into Future Sting's eyes. "Promise?"

Future Sting's smile is brighter than the sun. "I promise."


	11. Canon: Bubblegum

**Just a silly little drabble to try to get rid of my writer's block. Enjoy~**

 **Verse: Canon**  
 **Rating: T for language**  
 **Prompt at the end!**

* * *

 **Bubblegum**

* * *

Rogue frowns deeply, tapping his quill against the parchment. Stupid Guild Master paperwork. Why was he even doing this again? Oh, that's right, _because his boyfriend is lazy as fuck._

Rogue stands up, pinching the bridge of his scarred nose. The finished stack of paperwork is in his hand as he walks towards Sting, who stands with his hands on his hips by the request board. "Paperwork done," he grumbles, shoving the papers into Sting's hand. "Anything else, O Great Guild Master?"

Sting laughs, turning around. He sees Rogue's jaw moving rhythmically as he stares at Sting with a irritated glint in his eyes. Rogue had been having extreme stress lately, and Rufus had discovered that chewing a special type of gum helped lower stress levels.

However, it caused Rogue to be a little moody, which was both a blessing and curse. Moody Rogue was a pain to death with, although on the flip side, he was sexy as all hell.

Sting smirks, stepping towards the other Dragon Slayer with one goal in mind. "Oh~ Nothing much, babe~" he purrs, pulling Rogue close to him. "Just this~" He kisses Rogue long and hard, Rogue's mouth opening slightly in shock, allowing Sting's tongue to briefly dart inside. After someone screaming at them about PDA, Sting pulls away, leaving Rogue breathless, flushed, and panting.

Sting winks, turning over a slick piece of pink gum in his mouth with his tongue. "Thanks. You're off the hook now."

Rogue flushes red from both anger and embarrassment as Sting waltzes away, laughing in amusement. He clenches his teeth together, a small growl escaping his lips.

Oh, that idiot was going to pay.

* * *

 **Fanfic prompt where Person A of your OTP is chewing gum and Person B walks up to them and kisses them just to take their gum and just walks away laughing at the look on Person A's face.**


	12. Canon(ish): The Trouble with Boys

**Paring: Stingue**

 **Rating: T for language and sex mention**

 **Summary: Sting decides it's about time for his daughter to get the "boy talk" when Rogue discovers her getting ready for her first date. Things don't go exactly as planned and Sting realizes that he's completely useless in the situation...**

* * *

 _ **The Trouble With Boys**_

* * *

Footsteps echo upstairs, followed by a bit of humming. Sting yawns from his position on the couch, stretching his arms up towards the ceiling. Rogue lies across his lap, propped up against Sting's chest with a book in hand. Rogue lowers the book, scrunching up his eyebrow as he listens for the sounds upstairs once more. The sink turns on, then off again, followed by the sound of the bathroom cabinet opening. Rogue sighs, lifting his book back up and turning the page.

"What is she up to?" he asks his husband, studying the printed letters intently.

Sting shrugs, sinking deeper into the cushions. "Beats me. I'm not a teenage girl."

"You take twice as long primping than she does," Rogue points out bemusedly.

"Oh, shut up," Sting grumbles as Rogue laughs lightly, tilting his head up to plant a quick kiss on Sting's lips.

"Do you want me to see what she's doing?" he asks with a smile.

"Yeah," Sting frowns, "just because I'm pretty sure she's putting on full makeup. And she never does that." Sting's frown only deepens when he looks at the clock on the mantle. "And it's almost 6pm, and we're not planning on going back to the guild today..."

"Thank goodness," Rogue groans as he bookmarks his page and stands up. He stretches his arms towards the ceiling, his back cracking slightly. "I'm so exhausted."

"Same," Sting sighs. Rogue sets the book on the coffee table, turning to leave when Sting continues on, "But at least we're happy."

Rogue pauses, then turns around to face his husband. "We are," his smile is warm, soft, and genuine, "we really are."

On the way out, Rogue catches Sting grumbling out, "I should probably do the dishes..."

Rogue walks up the stairs, hand sliding across the banister. He walks down the hall to the small secondary bathroom, the one in the house not connected to Sting and Rogue's bedroom. The door is open, revealing to him his 15-year-old daughter holding a makeup brush and eyeing it with confusion. "What are you up to, Ebony?"

She turns to face him, lowering the brush. "Oh, hi Father," she says softly, her voice gentle and kind as always. "Just putting on some makeup...I'm going out today...if that's okay with you."

"Certainly," Rogue replies, "Just stay out of trouble. I trust you."

Ebony's expression softens even more. "Thank you." She tries to apply the blush again, jutting her lip out in frustration when it layers on too dark. "I don't know what I'm doing," she groans. "I'm only used to lipstick and mascara."

"Sadly, no one in this house can help you with that," Rogue chuckles. "Do you have time for me to contact Minerva?"

Ebony shakes her head. "No, sadly," she looks nervous all of sudden, setting the brush on the counter. It's then that Rogue realizes she's wearing a semi-formal black and white dress, one that Rogue has never even seen before. Her hair is also intricately styled, unlike the simple side ponytail she usually sported.

Rogue can practically smell a reason to be suspicious. In fact, he can, because he suddenly picks up a slight scent of perfume. Why was she so dressed up?

"Good luck," Rogue kisses her forehead gently. "You look beautiful."

She grins joyfully, looking down at her dress. "Thanks, Father."

Rogue descends back down the stairs, trying to wrap his brain around what he just saw. Noticing that Sting hadn't moved even in the slightest, he can't help but to choke back a laugh. "Look at you," he teases Sting as he reenters the living room. "The stereotypical lazyass couch potato of a husband."

"Hey!" Sting exclaims defensively. "I worked my ass off today with all that paperwork!"

Rogue raises an eyebrow in mock disbelief. "But you couldn't get the dishes done?"

"Fucking hell, Rogue," Sting groans, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Give me a break," he whines.

Rogue sits down beside him, cuddling up close once more. "Oh, by the way," Rogue sighs blissfully as Sting runs his fingers through his hair. "Ebony's all dressed up."

Sting makes a strangled sound in the back of his throat. "Huh?! Why?!"

"She asked if she could go out and I said yes," Rogue continues. "She's been responsible in the past so I figured that was okay."

"Go out..." Sting mumbles.

"And she's trying to apply heavier makeup as well as she's wearing perfume."

That was the final nail in the coffin. Sting sits up straight, eyes widening in shock as he exclaims, "OH MY GOD ROGUE!"

Rogue jolts in shock, wincing. "Ow. My ear."

"Sorry," Sting says quickly. He suddenly bursts back into hysteria, voice much too loud and eyes far too large. "BUT YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! ROGUE, SHE'S GOING ON A DATE! OH MY GOD OUR LITTLE GIRL IS GOING ON A DATE!"

Rogue winces again, grumbling under his breath before asking moodily, "How do you know that?"

Sting is ranting and raving at this point, and Rogue hardly catches half of what he says. "Oh no I haven't fully had the boy talk with her yet, and does she even know how to stay safe and what consent is and fucking hell what if he's creepy and tries to do something to her or what if he's a homophobe and-"

"Can you please shut up?" Rogue cuts in, sounding really worn and tired. "She's 15, Sting, she's not a baby."

"Says the overprotective one," Sting counters.

Rogue snorts. "Ha. Yeah, right. Like you're _never_ overprotective."

Sting groans in annoyance, flicking Rogue's forehead. "You're more overprotective than I am."

"Let's not get into this argument right now," Rogue sighs, leaning backwards so his head rests on Sting's shoulder. He looks up at Sting with weary eyes. "I'm sure she'll be fine. She has good judgement."

Sting lets out a low grumble. "I don't know..." he mutters. "It's not that I don't trust her, it's that I don't trust GUYS. I've dated some weird people before."

"Sting, the only guy you ever dated was me."

Sting freezes. "O-Okay, true, but still!" A mischievous grin spreads across his lips. "You're _weird_ , so you still count!"

"Oi!" Rogue laughs. "And you're wearing _suspenders!_ If that's not weird I don't know what is!"

"Rude," Sting huffs in mock offense, flicking his wrist. Rogue muffles more laughter. It was times like these when he was reminded truly how stereotypically gay Sting actually was.

Just then, the sound of heels on the stairs alerts both men of their daughter's presence. Sting's eyebrow twitches. Ebony never wore heels unless it was a super fancy occasion.

Sting opens his mouth to say something when Rogue smacks him on the shoulder. Sting hisses in pain between clenched teeth, rubbing the sore spot as Rogue speaks. "You look beautiful, sweetheart."

A huge grin breaks out across her face, almost a mirror image of Sting's. "Thanks, Father!"

Sting's heart melts seeing how happy his one and only daughter was. He pats down on the couch to his left, as he's cuddling up with Rogue on his right. Ebony sits down almost nervously, smoothing the skirt of her dress.

"Ebony," Sting says sternly. "Where are you going?"

The girl swallows, having been hopeful that she would avoid interrogation. But Sting folds his arms across his chest and stares at her with his dark blue eyes. Ebony shifts uncomfortably. Although her parents were huge dorks, they had no trouble reminding her that they were powerful Dragon Slayers.

"I'm...going to dinner, Daddy," she mumbles, cheeks dusted in pink.

"With who?" Sting leans closer to her. Behind him, Rogue lets out an exasperated sigh.

"With...someone..." The girl averts her red eyes, looking a bit guilty.

"Someone as in...a date?" Rogue asks carefully. Ebony turns bright red. "I'm not mad," Rogue says softly, "just a little curious."

"I'm mad!" Sting suddenly shouts. "Eb, did you even consider that whoever this is could be some creepo?"

Ebony's eyes go wide. "No, no! Daddy, please, they're really sweet and they care for me an awful lot!" She takes one of Sting's hands, looking into his eyes. "I wouldn't accept just anyone's request, after all."

Sting grumbles, still not looking convinced. He looks over at Rogue, who simply shrugs and picks his book back up. "Rogueeeeee," Sting whines, poking him in the cheek. "You're supposed to _help_ me here."

Rogue shrugs. "You're the one concerned, not me." Rogue turns a page. "I mean, naturally I'm a little dubious to let my daughter go out with someone I potentially don't know, but at the same time, she's 15 and needs to start experiencing the world."

Ebony smiles warmly at her father's encouragement, but Sting still isn't sold. He squeezes Ebony's hand as he continues to stare into her eyes. "Okay. I'll let you go."

Ebony laughs excitedly, eyes shining. "Thank you, Daddy! I will-"

Sting holds up a finger, stopping her in her tracks. "Nuh uh. Wait. I have one condition."

Ebony slumps back down, and Rogue looks on the pair with interest. Sting seems calm, but that expression fades quicker than it came. He's obviously panicked as he leaps up from the couch and says, "Let me teach you a few things you need to know about boys!"

Ebony's cheeks flush darker. "N-No, you don't-"

"First of all!" Sting exclaims. "Boys and men are complete and total perverts!" From on the couch, Rogue facepalms. "Don't do that!" Sting exclaims, seeing Rogue's reaction.

"But you're such a hypocrite," Rogue laughs, turning another page in his book.

Sting grumbles under his breath before continuing, annoyed at his husband's teasing. "Anyways, it's true. You've gotta not let them touch you and/or push you around. If they do anything you don't like, tell them to stop, and then if they don't listen, punch them in the fucking face!"

"Language," scolds Rogue.

"As if she doesn't already hear it from the rest of the guild," Sting mumbles. "Anyways, don't worry about trying to impress them. If they don't like you for who you are, they're not worth it."

"Good advice for pretty much life in general," Ebony responds softly, having given up fighting her dad's wishes.

"Uh huh," Sting smiles kindly, then he leans forward and ruffles her hair. She giggles playfully, and Rogue chuckles from behind his book.

"Anyways," Sting's expression turns stern. "Once you've known them for, oh, 5 years, you can have sex, just be sure to use protection."

"DAD!" she shrieks, covering her red face.

"STING!" roars Rogue, dropping the book. Sting jumps a foot in the air. "It's her first date, for fuck's sake!"

"Language~!" Sting teases.

"I'm going to strangle you," Rogue growls. He looks up at Ebony, calming down a considerable amount. "He's right though, if or when it comes to that, be safe. Talk to either us or one of your aunts."

Ebony hides her face again, mumbling into her hands. Sting leans down and kisses her forehead affectionately. "Sorry, baby girl. I just thought it would be good to mention."

"I'm going to be fine, Dad," Ebony's voice is barely loud enough to hear. "I promise."

"We know you will," Rogue smiles, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her close to him. He kisses her cheek, gently, then fixes a piece of hair Sting messed up when he ruffled it.

Just then, a knock sounds on the door. Everyone present jumps. Ebony takes a deep breath, red eyes closing, dark hair fluttering. She smooths her skirt again, then slowly moves to the door. "Bye, Dad, Father."

"Bye, sweetheart," Rogue smiles. But of course, the second Ebony tries to slip out the door, Sting is right behind her wrenching the door open.

A very feminine squeal sounds on the other side of the door. Sting freezes in his tracks, mouth dropping open.

Ebony's cheeks dust with pink. "H-Hi," she stammers to the smaller girl with long blue hair. "Y-You look beautiful."

"S-So do you," the other girl murmurs, blushing even harder than Ebony.

Sting makes a strangled sound in the back of his throat. Ebony kisses his cheek with a wide smile, "Bye, Daddy."

And then she's taking the smaller girl's hand and the two of them are walking away together down the hill, hand in hand, dresses swishing around their knees as the sun slowly starts to set.

"Be back before ten!" Rogue calls, joining Sting in the doorway.

"Don't worry, I will!" Ebony calls after him, smiling widely. Then the two of them vanish down the hill.

Sting is too dumbstruck to speak. Rogue passes him a cup of tea, then kisses him on the cheek. "C'mon, love, let's go inside."

As Rogue drags Sting into the house, all Sting can say is, "She's one of us..."

And Rogue simply chuckles knowingly. He'd known the second Ebony had said 'someone'. After all...his daughter was a member of the gayest guild in Fiore.

It didn't surprise him at all.


End file.
